2000
#1,939
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 17,017
First available Census row
Per 100,000 6.31
Uncommon Last name
Aldrich
Derived from a place name meaning "old ruler" or "old power" in Old English.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 19,036 Americans carry the last name Aldrich. That puts it at #2,120 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 5.55 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 18,006 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Aldrich 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 Aldrich with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
19K
1 in 18,006
Census rank
#2,120
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
5.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
17K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 16,600 bearers of the surname Aldrich in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 5.55 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2120th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Aldrich, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.9%) and Two or More Races (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Aldrich
The surname Aldrich is of English origin and can be traced back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old English personal name Aldric, which is comprised of the elements "ald" meaning "old" and "ric" meaning "ruler" or "power." This name was popular among the Anglo-Saxons and was often given to those who held positions of authority or were respected elders within their communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Aldrich can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this document, there are entries for individuals with the name Aldrich or variations such as Aldric or Eldric, indicating that the name was well-established in England by the late 11th century.
The Aldrich surname is closely tied to several place names in England, particularly in the counties of Berkshire and Gloucestershire. For example, the village of Aldridge in Staffordshire is believed to have derived its name from the Old English "Alricing," which translates to "the people of Aldric."
Among the notable individuals who bore the Aldrich surname throughout history are:
1. Robert Aldrich (1918-1983), an American film director known for classics such as "The Dirty Dozen" and "Kiss Me Deadly."
2. Thomas Bailey Aldrich (1836-1907), an American poet, novelist, and editor who served as the editor of the prestigious Atlantic Monthly magazine.
3. Harriet Aldrich (1835-1926), an American sculptor and artist who studied in Italy and was known for her neoclassical works.
4. Ira Aldrich (1858-1952), an American businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the Aldrich Trust Company and made significant contributions to educational institutions.
5. Wilfred Aldrich (1905-1998), a British writer and broadcaster who served as the head of the BBC's Overseas Service during World War II.
The Aldrich surname has endured for centuries and has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, writers, businessmen, and public figures. Its origins can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon era, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and linguistic traditions of England.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Aldrich
Among Census respondents with the surname Aldrich, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.9%) and Two or More Races (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Aldrich 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 Aldrich surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.0% · 14,779
- Hispanic or Latino3.9% · 653
- Two or more races3.7% · 622
- Black or African American1.8% · 307
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 139
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 100
Timeline
Historical Census data for Aldrich
Aldrich 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
#2,060
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 17,509
+492 bearers (+2.9%)
Per 100,000 5.94
Rank movement Down 121 places
2020
#2,120
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 16,600
-909 bearers (-5.2%)
Per 100,000 5.55
Rank movement Down 60 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #1,939 | 17,017 | 6.31 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,060 | 17,509 | 5.94 | +492 bearers (+2.9%) | Down 121 places |
| 2020 | #2,120 | 16,600 | 5.55 | -909 bearers (-5.2%) | Down 60 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 Aldrich 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 | #2,060 | #2,120 | -2.9% |
| Count | 17,509 | 16,600 | -5.2% |
| Per 100K | 5.94 | 5.55 | -6.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Aldrich bearers went from 17,509 to 16,600 (-5.2% change). The surname moved down 60 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,060 to #2,120.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Aldrich
FAQ
Aldrich surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Aldrich?
Name Census estimates that about 19,036 living Americans carry the surname Aldrich. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 18,006 residents.
How common is Aldrich?
Aldrich ranks #2,120 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 5.55 per 100,000 residents, which is about 6 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 16,600 people with the surname Aldrich. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (19,036), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 5.55 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 5.55 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 6 of them to have the surname Aldrich.
Has Aldrich become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Aldrich went from 17,509 recorded bearers to 16,600. That is a decrease of 909 (-5.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,060 to #2,120.
What does the Census say about the background of Aldrich?
Among Census respondents with the surname Aldrich, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.9%) and Two or More Races (3.7%). 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 Aldrich in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.0% (14,779 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Aldrich appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.0%), Hispanic (3.9%), Two or More Races (3.7%). 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 Aldrich (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 Aldrich mean?
Derived from a place name meaning "old ruler" or "old power" in Old English. 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 Aldrich (5.55 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 common is the surname Aldrich?
See how many Americans have the surname Aldrich on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.