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

Albright, 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 Albright surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Albright in America

Albright is the 1410th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Albright surname appeared 25,189 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 9 people would have the surname Albright.

We can also compare 2010 data for Albright 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 Albright

The surname Albright is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English words "æl" meaning "elf" and "beorht" meaning "bright" or "radiant." It is believed to have originated in the regions of Wessex and Mercia in England during the 8th to 10th centuries.

The earliest known records of the Albright surname can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions several individuals with variations of the name, such as Aelfbriht and Ælbryht, residing in various counties across England.

In the 13th century, historical records show the name being spelled as Albricht, Albryght, and Albrith, reflecting the evolution of the English language and regional dialects. One notable individual was John Albright, a prominent landowner in Oxfordshire, who lived during the reign of King Henry III (1216-1272).

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the Albright surname became more widely dispersed across England, with records indicating families residing in counties such as Berkshire, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire. A significant figure from this period was Sir Thomas Albright (c. 1370-1430), a nobleman and military commander who fought in the Hundred Years' War.

In the 16th century, the Albright surname gained prominence in the northern counties of England, particularly in Yorkshire and Lancashire. One notable figure was Robert Albright (c. 1530-1585), a wealthy merchant and landowner in York.

The 17th century saw the Albright surname spread to other parts of the British Isles, including Scotland and Ireland. One prominent individual from this time was William Albright (1632-1701), an Irish clergyman and philosopher who served as the Bishop of Kilmore.

As the British Empire expanded in the 18th and 19th centuries, many Albrights emigrated to the American colonies and other parts of the world. One notable figure was Jacob Albright (1759-1808), a German-American evangelist and founder of the Evangelical Association, now part of the United Methodist Church.

Other notable individuals with the Albright surname throughout history include Madeleine Albright (1937-), the first female United States Secretary of State, and Ivan Albright (1897-1983), an American artist known for his realistic and macabre paintings.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Albright

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

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

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

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