2000
#100,663
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 166
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Abott
Derived from a Middle English nickname meaning "little abbot," likely referring to someone who worked for or resembled an abbot.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Abott. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Abott surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Abott with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Abott in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Abott, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.2%) and Black (6.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Abott
The surname Abott originated in England during the medieval period. It is a variant spelling of the occupational surname Abbott, derived from the Old French word "abbot," meaning the head of an abbey or monastery. The name likely referred to someone who served as an abbot or worked in close association with an abbey.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Abott can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable example is the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which record a William Abbot residing in Norfolk. Another early reference is in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327, where a John Abbot is mentioned.
During the Middle Ages, the name Abott was closely associated with religious institutions and ecclesiastical authorities. In some cases, it may have been adopted as a hereditary surname by individuals who initially held positions within abbeys or monasteries.
One prominent figure bearing the surname Abott was George Abott (1562-1633), an English writer, theologian, and Archbishop of Canterbury from 1611 until his death. He played a significant role in the English Reformation and was a influential figure in the Church of England during his tenure.
Another notable individual with the surname Abott was Maurice Abott (1565-1642), an English merchant and politician who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1638-1639. He was actively involved in the governance of the City of London and held various positions of authority.
In the realm of literature, Jacob Abott (1803-1879) was an American writer and educator who authored numerous works, including the famous "Rollo Books" series for children. His books were widely popular and contributed to the education of many young readers in the 19th century.
The surname Abott has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Abott's Bromley in Staffordshire, which may have been derived from an individual bearing the name. Additionally, variations in spelling, such as Abbot, Abbett, and Abbitt, have been observed throughout historical records.
Overall, the surname Abott has a rich history rooted in the religious and ecclesiastical traditions of medieval England, with various notable individuals bearing the name across different fields and time periods. Its evolution and usage have been influenced by occupational origins, place names, and the changing spellings common in historical documents.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Abott
Among Census respondents with the surname Abott, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.2%) and Black (6.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Abott bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Abott surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White77.3% · 85
- Hispanic or Latino8.2% · 9
- Black or African American6.4% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander4.5% · 5
- Two or more races3.6% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Abott
Abott appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#106,570
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 167
+1 bearers (+0.6%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 5,907 places
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
-57 bearers (-34.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 42,876 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #100,663 | 166 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #106,570 | 167 | 0.06 | +1 bearers (+0.6%) | Down 5,907 places |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | -57 bearers (-34.1%) | Down 42,876 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Abott surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #106,570 | #149,446 | -40.2% |
| Count | 167 | 110 | -34.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.04 | -38.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Abott bearers went from 167 to 110 (-34.1% change). The surname moved down 42,876 positions in the national ranking, going from #106,570 to #149,446.
FAQ
Abott surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Abott?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Abott. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Abott?
Abott ranks #149,446 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 110 people with the surname Abott. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Abott.
Has Abott become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Abott went from 167 recorded bearers to 110. That is a decrease of 57 (-34.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #106,570 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Abott?
Among Census respondents with the surname Abott, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.2%) and Black (6.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Abott in the 2020 Census, accounting for 77.3% (85 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Abott appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (77.3%), Hispanic (8.2%), Black (6.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Abott (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Abott mean?
Derived from a Middle English nickname meaning "little abbot," likely referring to someone who worked for or resembled an abbot. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Abott (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Abott?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.