2000
#118,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 135
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Ambridge
From a place name meaning "dweller by the ridge."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Ambridge. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ambridge 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Ambridge with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Ambridge in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ambridge, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.0%. The next largest groups are Black (4.2%) and Hispanic (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ambridge
The surname Ambridge is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "ām" meaning "stream" and "brycg" meaning "bridge." The name likely originated in the medieval period, referring to individuals who lived near a stream or bridge.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the 13th century, where a person named Richard de Aumbregg is listed. This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time.
In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a record of landowners and tenants in England, there is an entry for a John de Aumbrugge, suggesting the name's presence in various parts of the country during that era.
The name Ambridge is also associated with several place names in England, such as Ambridge in Somerset and Ambridge in Wiltshire. These locations may have influenced the surname or vice versa, as place names and surnames often had a reciprocal relationship.
Notable individuals with the surname Ambridge throughout history include:
1. Thomas Ambridge (c. 1588 - 1640), an English clergyman and author known for his theological works.
2. John Ambridge (1692 - 1768), a British civil servant who served as a Commissioner of Excise during the reign of King George II.
3. Elizabeth Ambridge (1718 - 1801), a prominent philanthropist and benefactor in Gloucestershire, who funded the construction of several schools and almshouses.
4. William Ambridge (1824 - 1892), a renowned architect from Yorkshire, known for designing several notable buildings in the Victorian era.
5. Harriet Ambridge (1867 - 1945), a pioneering female author and journalist, who wrote extensively on women's rights and social issues of her time.
While these historical references provide insights into the origins and evolution of the surname Ambridge, it is important to note that the name's significance and prevalence may have varied across different regions and time periods.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ambridge
Among Census respondents with the surname Ambridge, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.0%. The next largest groups are Black (4.2%) and Hispanic (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Ambridge 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 Ambridge surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.0% · 108
- Black or African American4.2% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ambridge
Ambridge 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
#140,157
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
-16 bearers (-11.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 21,203 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+1 bearers (+0.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,892 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #118,954 | 135 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #140,157 | 119 | 0.04 | -16 bearers (-11.9%) | Down 21,203 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.8%) | Down 1,892 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 Ambridge 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 | #140,157 | #142,049 | -1.3% |
| Count | 119 | 120 | 0.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ambridge bearers went from 119 to 120 (+0.8% change). The surname moved down 1,892 positions in the national ranking, going from #140,157 to #142,049.
FAQ
Ambridge surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ambridge?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Ambridge. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Ambridge?
Ambridge ranks #142,049 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 120 people with the surname Ambridge. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), 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 Ambridge.
Has Ambridge become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ambridge went from 119 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 1 (+0.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #140,157 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Ambridge?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ambridge, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.0%. The next largest groups are Black (4.2%) and Hispanic (3.3%). 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 Ambridge in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.0% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ambridge appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.0%), Black (4.2%), Hispanic (3.3%). 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 Ambridge (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 Ambridge mean?
From a place name meaning "dweller by the ridge." 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 Ambridge (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 are called Ambridge?
If you just want to know how many people are called Ambridge, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.