2000
#150,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Allyson
A Scottish surname derived from the name Alison, itself a variation of Alice.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Allyson. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Allyson 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.
Bearers in the US
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Allyson in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Allyson, the largest self-reported group is White at 62.0%. The next largest groups are Black (23.1%) and Hispanic (10.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Allyson
The surname Allyson is of English origin, derived from the medieval given name Alison, which was a diminutive form of the Old French name Alice or Alis. This name can be traced back to the 12th century and is believed to have originated from the Germanic name Adalheidis, meaning "noble kind."
The earliest recorded instance of the name Allyson dates back to the 13th century, when it appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1275 as Alyson le Naylor. This particular entry suggests that the name may have been associated with the occupation of a nailer or nail-maker.
In the 14th century, the name was found in various spellings, such as Alysoun, Alysun, and Alisoun, in records across different regions of England. One notable example is Sir John Alysoun, a prominent English knight who fought in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War in 1346.
By the 15th century, the name had gained further recognition, with mentions in literary works such as the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. In the prologue, Chaucer introduces a character referred to as "Alisoun, the wyf of Bathe," highlighting the use of the name during this period.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name continued to evolve, with variations like Alyson, Alison, and Allison becoming more common. One notable individual from this era was Alison Hay, a Scottish poet and courtier born in 1564, who served as a maid of honor to Queen Anne of Denmark.
In the 18th century, the surname Allyson emerged as a distinct spelling, particularly in parts of northern England and Scotland. One notable figure from this period was Allyson Rae Morley, a Scottish writer and philosopher born in 1732, known for her influential work on the moral philosophy of the Enlightenment.
As the centuries progressed, the surname Allyson spread across various parts of the English-speaking world, with individuals bearing this name making significant contributions in various fields. For instance, John Allyson, an English explorer born in 1796, was renowned for his expeditions to the Arctic regions and his detailed accounts of the indigenous peoples he encountered.
In the 20th century, the name gained further recognition with individuals like June Allyson, an American actress born in 1917, who starred in numerous Hollywood films and television shows. Another notable figure was Sir Allyson Leeke, a British diplomat born in 1921, who served as the Ambassador to the United Nations and played a crucial role in international relations during the Cold War era.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Allyson
Among Census respondents with the surname Allyson, the largest self-reported group is White at 62.0%. The next largest groups are Black (23.1%) and Hispanic (10.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Allyson 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 Allyson surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White62.0% · 67
- Black or African American23.1% · 25
- Hispanic or Latino10.2% · 11
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Allyson
Allyson 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
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
+2 bearers (+2.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 7,996 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
+6 bearers (+5.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 7,497 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #150,436 | 100 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | +2 bearers (+2.0%) | Down 7,996 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.9%) | Up 7,497 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 Allyson 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 | #158,432 | #150,935 | 4.7% |
| Count | 102 | 108 | 5.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 20.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Allyson bearers went from 102 to 108 (+5.9% change). The surname moved up 7,497 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #150,935.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Allyson
FAQ
Allyson surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Allyson?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Allyson. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Allyson?
Allyson ranks #150,935 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 108 people with the surname Allyson. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Allyson.
Has Allyson become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Allyson went from 102 recorded bearers to 108. That is an increase of 6 (+5.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Allyson?
Among Census respondents with the surname Allyson, the largest self-reported group is White at 62.0%. The next largest groups are Black (23.1%) and Hispanic (10.2%). 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 Allyson in the 2020 Census, accounting for 62.0% (67 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Allyson appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (62.0%), Black (23.1%), Hispanic (10.2%). 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 Allyson (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 Allyson mean?
A Scottish surname derived from the name Alison, itself a variation of Alice. 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 Allyson (0.04 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 many people have the surname Allyson?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.