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

Amber, 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 Amber surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Amber in America

Amber is the 33121st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Amber surname appeared 691 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 Amber.

We can also compare 2010 data for Amber 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 Amber

The surname AMBER is believed to have originated in England, deriving from the Old English word "amar" or "ambar," meaning a yellowish-brown color. This color name likely referred to someone with a tanned or ruddy complexion or potentially someone who lived near an amber-colored river or stream.

The earliest recorded instances of the AMBER surname can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears in various spellings such as "Ambr," "Ambre," and "Aumbr." These entries are primarily found in the counties of Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Gloucestershire, suggesting that the name may have originated in these regions.

In the 13th century, records show an "Alicia Aumbr" residing in Oxfordshire, while a "Roger Aumbr" is mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire in 1273. The surname's spelling continued to evolve over the centuries, with variations like "Aumbre," "Ambor," and eventually settling on the modern form of "AMBER."

Notable historical figures with the AMBER surname include Sir Anthony Amber (1594-1669), an English politician and Member of Parliament during the English Civil War era. Another prominent figure was John Amber (1688-1743), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.

In Scotland, the AMBER surname can be traced back to the 16th century, with records showing a John Amber born in Aberdeenshire in 1567. Another Scotsman, James Amber (1776-1858), achieved recognition as a renowned architect and designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh.

Across the Atlantic, one of the earliest recorded instances of the AMBER surname in America was that of Robert Amber, who arrived in Virginia in 1635. Later, in the 18th century, Samuel Amber (1725-1803) was a prominent landowner and merchant in colonial Pennsylvania.

Other notable individuals with the AMBER surname include the English novelist and playwright Evelyn Amber (1882-1957), known for her works exploring social issues, and the American painter and sculptor Audrey Amber (1924-2011), whose works were exhibited in various galleries across the United States.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Amber

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

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

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

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