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

Alvin, 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 Alvin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Alvin in America

Alvin is the 22827th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Alvin surname appeared 1,122 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Alvin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Alvin to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Alvin

The surname Alvin is of English origin, derived from the Old English personal name Ælfwine, which means "elf friend" or "magical friend." This name was common during the Anglo-Saxon period in England, particularly between the 7th and 11th centuries.

The earliest recorded example of the surname Alvin can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was spelled as "Aluuin." This ancient record was commissioned by William the Conqueror to survey the land and property holdings in England.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as Aluyn, Alvyn, and Alwyn, in various regions of England, including Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. These variations in spelling were common during that time due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

Over the centuries, the name Alvin has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Sir John Alvin, a prominent merchant and alderman in the City of London during the 14th century.

Another historical figure was Thomas Alvin (1499-1558), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Thetford during the reign of Queen Mary I. He was known for his staunch support of the Catholic faith and his opposition to the Protestant Reformation.

During the 17th century, the name Alvin was also found in the records of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the United States. One of the earliest settlers bearing this surname was Samuel Alvin, who arrived in Boston in 1635.

In the 18th century, the name gained further prominence with the birth of Richard Alvin (1756-1823), a renowned English architect and surveyor. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Mint and parts of the Old Admiralty Buildings.

Another notable figure was Thomas Alvin (1784-1858), an English clergyman and author who wrote extensively on religious topics and served as a vicar in various parishes throughout his career.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Alvin

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Alvin.

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 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Alvin 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.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Alvin has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Alvin was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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