2000
#8,930
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,369
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.25
Rare Last name
Alsup
Derived from a place name meaning "at the alehouse," referring to an inn or tavern.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,843 Americans carry the last name Alsup. That puts it at #9,326 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.12 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 89,189 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Alsup 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
3.8K
1 in 89,189
Census rank
#9,326
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,351 bearers of the surname Alsup in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.12 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9326th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Alsup, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.9%. The next largest groups are Black (8.2%) and Two or More Races (4.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Alsup
The surname Alsup is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the northern counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "ald" meaning "old" and "hup" or "hop" meaning a small hill or mound. Thus, Alsup may have initially referred to someone who lived near an old hill or mound.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Alsup can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a great survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Aldehop," likely referring to a settlement or place name that later evolved into the surname.
In the 13th century, the name was recorded as "Aldhop" and "Aldehope" in various Yorkshire records, indicating the gradual transition to its modern spelling. During this period, the surname was primarily concentrated in the northern counties of England.
Notable individuals bearing the Alsup surname include Richard Alsup, a prominent landowner in Yorkshire who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of 1166. John Alsup, born in 1542 in Lancashire, was a respected scholar and theologian who authored several religious works.
In the 17th century, William Alsup (1620-1679) was a successful merchant and trader in London, contributing to the city's thriving economy. His son, Thomas Alsup (1654-1718), followed in his footsteps and became a respected figure in the London merchant community.
During the 19th century, the surname gained recognition with the birth of Sir Joseph Alsup (1816-1892), a renowned English barrister and judge who presided over several high-profile cases during his career.
As the surname spread across England and beyond, different variations and spellings emerged, such as Alsopp, Alshopp, and Allsop. However, the Alsup spelling remained predominantly used by families with roots in the northern counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Alsup
Among Census respondents with the surname Alsup, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.9%. The next largest groups are Black (8.2%) and Two or More Races (4.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Alsup 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 Alsup surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.9% · 2,777
- Black or African American8.2% · 275
- Two or more races4.9% · 164
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 85
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 35
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 15
Timeline
Historical Census data for Alsup
Alsup 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
#9,515
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,416
+47 bearers (+1.4%)
Per 100,000 1.16
Rank movement Down 585 places
2020
#9,326
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,351
-65 bearers (-1.9%)
Per 100,000 1.12
Rank movement Up 189 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,930 | 3,369 | 1.25 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,515 | 3,416 | 1.16 | +47 bearers (+1.4%) | Down 585 places |
| 2020 | #9,326 | 3,351 | 1.12 | -65 bearers (-1.9%) | Up 189 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 Alsup 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 | #9,515 | #9,326 | 2.0% |
| Count | 3,416 | 3,351 | -1.9% |
| Per 100K | 1.16 | 1.12 | -3.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Alsup bearers went from 3,416 to 3,351 (-1.9% change). The surname moved up 189 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,515 to #9,326.
FAQ
Alsup surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Alsup?
Name Census estimates that about 3,843 living Americans carry the surname Alsup. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 89,189 residents.
How common is Alsup?
Alsup ranks #9,326 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.12 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,351 people with the surname Alsup. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,843), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.12 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.12 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Alsup.
Has Alsup become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Alsup went from 3,416 recorded bearers to 3,351. That is a decrease of 65 (-1.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,515 to #9,326.
What does the Census say about the background of Alsup?
Among Census respondents with the surname Alsup, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.9%. The next largest groups are Black (8.2%) and Two or More Races (4.9%). 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 Alsup in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.9% (2,777 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Alsup appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.9%), Black (8.2%), Two or More Races (4.9%). 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 Alsup (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 Alsup mean?
Derived from a place name meaning "at the alehouse," referring to an inn or tavern. 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 Alsup (1.12 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 last name Alsup?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Alsup on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.