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

Ali'en, 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 Ali'en surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Ali'en in America

Ali'en is the 121058th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ali'en surname appeared 132 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Ali'en.

The history of the last name Ali'en

The surname Alien is a surname of relatively obscure and unique origins. The name first appeared in historical records in England around the 12th century. It is believed that the name Alien has roots in the Norman Conquest of 1066, as the Normans introduced a plethora of names and words into the Anglo-Saxon lexicon. The areas from which this surname originates are likely to be regions of Norman influence in England, particularly within counties such as Sussex, Kent, and Norfolk.

The etymology of the surname Alien suggests derivation from the Old French word aliene, which means 'stranger' or 'foreigner.' Its earliest usage might have been to denote someone who was an outsider or newly arrived in the community. Given the fluid migrations and conquests during this period, having a surname that denoted an outsider was not uncommon. The word aliene itself is rooted in the Latin alienus, meaning 'belonging to another.'

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Alien can be found in the records of the Curia Regis Rolls, a collection of English court records from the late 12th century. In a 1194 entry, a certain Robertus Alienus is mentioned, highlighting a historical presence of the name in legal documents. This supports the theory that the surname was used to describe individuals who were not native to the realm or community in which they lived.

The 13th century saw the name Joseph Alien in court records of Kent in 1251. These early records provide a glimpse into the usage and spread of the surname. Additionally, an intriguing reference to the name is found in the Poll Tax records of Yorkshire in 1379, where a John Alien is listed. These instances imply the name was relatively widespread within various parts of England by the late medieval period.

During the Renaissance, an individual named Thomas Alien, born in 1485 and died in 1557, was recorded as a minor landowner in Norfolk. His name found in the parish records of the time, further illustrates the persistent presence of the surname throughout the centuries. The varied spellings and forms the surname might have taken reflect the phonetic evolution and the non-standardized spelling conventions of early English.

In addition, the surname Alien appears in historical documents connected to maritime activities and early exploration. William Alien, a ship captain born in 1610 in Sussex, was documented in relation to early English expeditions to the New World in the 1640s. His voyages are recorded in shipping ledgers and travel logs of the period.

Another notable figure is Anne Alien, an early 18th-century writer from Kent, who gained modest acclaim for her pamphlets on societal issues of the time. Born in 1678 and passed away in 1739, her works provide insights into the cultural context in which the surname Alien was used.

By the late 18th century, one finds records of a Charles Alien, a merchant of London born in 1742 and died in 1796. His business dealings included trade with the American colonies, as evidenced by his inclusion in commercial correspondences and shipping manifests.

These recorded instances highlight the geographical spread, historical significance, and varied demography associated with the surname Alien. The name evokes a sense of the old world’s mingling cultures and transient populations, capturing a snapshot of history through its unique etymology and documented appearances.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ali'en

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Ali'en.

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Ali'en 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.

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 Ali'en was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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