Agnew
A Scottish surname derived from the Norman French "agneau" meaning "lamb".
Name Census estimates that about 8 living Americans carry the first name Agnew. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Agnew today is around 74 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Agnew births was 1912 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Agnew. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Agnew is about 74 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Agnews were born before 1962.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Agnew. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
8
~ 1 in 42,844,292 Americans
Peak year
1912
7 babies that year
Average age
74
years old
1953 SSA rank
#3,809
Tracked since 1912
Popularity
Agnew: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Agnew from the 1910s through to the 1950s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 17 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Agnew by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Agnew during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Agnews live
Origin
Meaning and history of Agnew
The name Agnew is an English name with origins that can be traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to be a locational surname derived from the Old English words "an" meaning "one" and "hoh" meaning "heel" or "ridge of land." This combination suggests that the name likely originated from a place name referring to a single ridge or hill.
In its earliest form, the name was spelled as "Anhogh" or "Anhoue" in medieval records. Over time, it evolved into various spellings such as "Annew," "Annewe," and eventually, "Agnew." The name was primarily found in areas of northern England and Scotland, particularly in counties like Cumberland and Northumberland.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Agnew can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Cumberland from the late 12th century, where a person named Radulphus de Anhoue is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use as a surname during that time period.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Agnew. One of the most famous was Sir Andrew Agnew (1567-1635), a Scottish landowner and politician who served as a member of the Scottish Parliament and played a significant role in the religious affairs of his time.
Another prominent figure was Sir Stair Agnew (1684-1752), a Scottish lawyer and politician who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland and later became a judge of the Court of Session. His son, Sir Andrew Agnew (1718-1794), was a Scottish baronet and member of the British Parliament.
In the 19th century, Patrick Agnew (1822-1888) was a notable Scottish-born Australian businessman and pastoralist who played a crucial role in the development of the wool industry in Australia.
More recently, Spiro Agnew (1918-1996) served as the 39th Vice President of the United States under President Richard Nixon from 1969 to 1973, before resigning due to a scandal involving tax evasion and bribery charges.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have borne the name Agnew, highlighting its enduring presence and significance across various fields and regions.
People
Agnew + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Agnew as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Agnew: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Agnew?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 8 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Agnew going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 42,844,292 US residents.
Is Agnew a common name?
We classify Agnew as "Very Rare". It ranks above 24.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 35 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Agnew most popular?
The single biggest year for Agnew was 1912, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Agnew is about 74 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Agnew in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Agnew a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Agnew in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Agnew still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Agnew in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Agnew can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Agnew?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.