2000
#102,173
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 163
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Altmire
An ancient place name derived from the Old English words "eald" meaning old and "mere" meaning lake or pond.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 175 Americans carry the last name Altmire. That puts it at #119,572 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,958,596 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Altmire 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
175
1 in 1,958,596
Census rank
#119,572
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
153
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 153 bearers of the surname Altmire in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 119572nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Altmire, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Altmire
The surname Altmire has its origins in medieval England, specifically in the northern counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "ald" meaning old and "mere" meaning a pool or lake. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived near an old body of water or a settlement located by an ancient lake.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Aldemere", referring to a village in Yorkshire. This entry provides evidence that the name was already established in the region before the Norman Conquest of 1066.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name appeared in various records with different spellings, such as "Aldmere", "Aldemyre", and "Altmyre". These variations reflect the evolution of the English language and the regional dialects of the time.
In the 15th century, a notable bearer of the name was Sir John Altmire (1420-1492), a prominent landowner and military commander from Lancashire. He fought in the Wars of the Roses and was knighted for his service to the House of Lancaster.
Another historical figure was William Altmire (1560-1628), a successful merchant and alderman in the city of York. Records show that he played a significant role in the city's governance and was involved in various charitable endeavors.
During the 17th century, the name can be found in parish records from areas around the Yorkshire Dales, suggesting that the Altmire family had established roots in this region. One notable individual from this period was Elizabeth Altmire (1625-1689), a midwife and herbalist renowned for her knowledge of traditional remedies.
In the 18th century, the Altmire surname spread to other parts of England, as well as Scotland and Ireland, likely due to migration and the expansion of trade and industry. One prominent bearer of the name was Sir Robert Altmire (1745-1821), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Liverpool.
As the 19th century dawned, the name continued to be found across various parts of the British Isles. One notable example is James Altmire (1810-1892), a Scottish engineer who contributed significantly to the development of early steam engines and railway infrastructure.
Throughout its history, the surname Altmire has been associated with various occupations and social standings, from landowners and military leaders to merchants, professionals, and tradespeople. Its enduring presence across centuries attests to the rich tapestry of English heritage and the diverse narratives woven into this distinctive surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Altmire
Among Census respondents with the surname Altmire, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Altmire 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 Altmire surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.1% · 144
- Two or more races4.6% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.3% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Altmire
Altmire 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
#102,197
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 176
+13 bearers (+8.0%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 24 places
2020
#119,572
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 153
-23 bearers (-13.1%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 17,375 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #102,173 | 163 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #102,197 | 176 | 0.06 | +13 bearers (+8.0%) | Down 24 places |
| 2020 | #119,572 | 153 | 0.05 | -23 bearers (-13.1%) | Down 17,375 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 Altmire 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 | #102,197 | #119,572 | -17.0% |
| Count | 176 | 153 | -13.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.05 | -14.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Altmire bearers went from 176 to 153 (-13.1% change). The surname moved down 17,375 positions in the national ranking, going from #102,197 to #119,572.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Altmire
FAQ
Altmire surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Altmire?
Name Census estimates that about 175 living Americans carry the surname Altmire. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,958,596 residents.
How common is Altmire?
Altmire ranks #119,572 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 153 people with the surname Altmire. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (175), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Altmire.
Has Altmire become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Altmire went from 176 recorded bearers to 153. That is a decrease of 23 (-13.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #102,197 to #119,572.
What does the Census say about the background of Altmire?
Among Census respondents with the surname Altmire, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.3%). 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 Altmire in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.1% (144 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Altmire appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.1%), Two or More Races (4.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.3%). 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 Altmire (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 Altmire mean?
An ancient place name derived from the Old English words "eald" meaning old and "mere" meaning lake or pond. 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 Altmire (0.05 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 Altmire?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.