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

Agar, 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 Agar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Agar in America

Agar is the 22404th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Agar surname appeared 1,149 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 Agar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Agar 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 Agar

The surname "AGAR" is believed to have originated in the region of modern-day Yorkshire, England, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "āgār," which referred to a grassy field or meadow. The name was likely used to distinguish individuals who lived or worked in such areas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conquer. The entry mentions an individual named "Aluric de Agar," suggesting the surname's use during the Norman conquest.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various medieval records, often with variations in spelling, such as "Ager," "Agher," and "Aiger." These variations reflect the fluid nature of surname spellings during that era.

One notable bearer of the name was Sir Thomas Agar (c. 1540-1615), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Yorkshire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another prominent figure was James Agar (1622-1684), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Galloway in Scotland from 1679 until his death. He was known for his controversial sermons and writings on religious topics.

In the 18th century, the Agar family gained prominence in Ireland, with Welbore Ellis Agar (1735-1805) serving as the Chief Secretary for Ireland and later becoming the 2nd Viscount Clifden.

The name also has connections to the British Empire, with Charles Agar, Earl of Normanton (1809-1887), serving as the Governor-General of Jamaica from 1857 to 1862.

Lastly, the English writer and playwright George Agar Ellis (1797-1833) was a notable figure in literary circles, known for his contributions to the Edinburgh Review and his plays, including "The Pragmatic Boy" and "The First of April."

These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals bearing the surname "AGAR" throughout history, reflecting its enduring presence in various regions and contexts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Agar

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

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 Agar 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 Agar 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 Agar was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!