Find out how popular the last name Aberdeen is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Aberdeen.

Aberdeen, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Aberdeen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Aberdeen in America

Aberdeen is the 88685th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Aberdeen surname appeared 209 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Aberdeen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Aberdeen to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Aberdeen

The surname Aberdeen originated in Scotland, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 12th century. The name is derived from the Scottish Gaelic words "abair" meaning "mouth" and "dian" meaning "sheltered place", referring to the location of the city of Aberdeen on the east coast of Scotland, situated between the mouths of the Rivers Dee and Don.

The name is closely associated with the city of Aberdeen, which was founded in the 12th century as a royal burgh. It is likely that the earliest bearers of the surname were residents or inhabitants of this city or the surrounding areas. The spelling of the name has remained relatively consistent over time, with minor variations such as "Aberdene" or "Abirdene" appearing in historical records.

One of the earliest documented instances of the surname can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1264, which mention a "John de Abirdene". Another notable early reference is in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of homages sworn to King Edward I of England, where a "William de Abirden" is listed.

In the 14th century, a prominent figure bearing the surname was William de Aberdeen, a Scottish statesman and diplomat who served as the Bishop of St Andrews from 1328 to 1347. During his tenure, he played a significant role in negotiating peace treaties between Scotland and England.

Another notable bearer of the name was George Aberdeen, Lord Haddo (1784-1860), a Scottish politician and landowner who served as the Governor General of Canada from 1835 to 1840. He was instrumental in promoting responsible government in the British North American colonies.

In the realm of literature, Sir William Aberdeen (1892-1960), a Scottish writer and academic, made significant contributions to the study of Scottish literature and folklore. His works include "The Haunted Colleges" and "The Bon-Accord Tales".

The surname Aberdeen has also been associated with places outside of Scotland. For instance, the city of Aberdeen in Washington State, USA, was named in honor of the Scottish city, reflecting the influence of Scottish settlers in the region.

Throughout its history, the surname Aberdeen has maintained its connection to the city of its origin, serving as a testament to the enduring legacy of Scottish names and their geographical roots.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Aberdeen

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Aberdeen.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Aberdeen was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Aberdeen has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Aberdeen was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Aberdeen, please contact us.

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