Alexander
A patronymic surname derived from the given name Alexander, meaning "defender of the people" in Greek.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 237,769 Americans carry the last name Alexander. That puts it at #118 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 69.37 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,442 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Alexander surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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.
Bearers in the US
238K
1 in 1,442
Census rank
#118
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
69.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
205K
common in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 204,621 bearers of the surname Alexander in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 69.37 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 118th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Alexander, the largest self-reported group is White at 58.2%. The next largest groups are Black (34.0%) and Hispanic (3.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Alexander
The surname Alexander is derived from the Greek name Alexandros, which means "defender of men." This name has its origins in ancient Greece and is believed to have first appeared in the 4th century BC.
The name Alexander is thought to have spread across Europe during the time of the Roman Empire, as Greek culture and language had a significant influence on the Romans. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in medieval manuscripts and records from various European regions.
One of the most notable bearers of this surname was Alexander the Great, the legendary Macedonian king who lived from 356 BC to 323 BC and conquered much of the known world at that time. His conquests and exploits helped to spread the name Alexander throughout the lands he conquered.
In Britain, the surname Alexander can be traced back to the Norman Conquest of 1066. It is believed that some of the Norman invaders bore this name, and it was subsequently adopted by the local population. The Domesday Book, a record of landowners compiled in 1086, includes several entries for individuals with the surname Alexander.
Another famous bearer of this surname was Alexander Nevsky, a prince of Novgorod and Grand Prince of Vladimir who lived from 1220 to 1263. He is revered as a national hero in Russia for his military victories against the Swedes and the Teutonic Knights.
During the Renaissance period, the name Alexander gained further popularity due to the influence of classical Greek and Roman culture. Notable individuals with this surname include Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and the first Secretary of the Treasury.
Other historical figures with the surname Alexander include Samuel Alexander (1859-1938), a British philosopher and one of the founders of the school of thought known as British Idealism, and Sir William Alexander (1567-1640), a Scottish poet and courtier who was granted a large territory in North America, which he named Nova Scotia.
Throughout history, the surname Alexander has been associated with various place names and has undergone various spelling variations, such as Alesaundre, Alisaundre, and Alysaundre, reflecting the linguistic and cultural influences of different regions and time periods.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Alexander
Among Census respondents with the surname Alexander, the largest self-reported group is White at 58.2%. The next largest groups are Black (34.0%) and Hispanic (3.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Alexander bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Alexander surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White58.2%
- Black or African American34.0%
- Hispanic or Latino3.2%
- Two or more races2.7%
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Alexander surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #118 | #118 | 0.0% |
| Count | 204,621 | 204,621 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 69.37 | 69.37 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Alexander bearers went from 204,621 to 204,621 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #118 to #118.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Alexander
FAQ
Alexander surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Alexander?
The surname Alexander holds position #118 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 237,769 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 69.37 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Alexander surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Alexander, the largest self-reported group is White at 58.2%. The next largest groups are Black (34.0%) and Hispanic (3.2%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.