2000
#1,992
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 16,697
First available Census row
Per 100,000 6.19
Uncommon Last name
Ambrose
Derived from the Latin name Ambrosius, meaning "immortal" or "divine," and bestowed as a surname.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 18,579 Americans carry the last name Ambrose. That puts it at #2,192 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 5.42 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 18,448 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ambrose 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 Ambrose with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
19K
1 in 18,448
Census rank
#2,192
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
5.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
16K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 16,202 bearers of the surname Ambrose in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 5.42 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2192nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ambrose, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.7%. The next largest groups are Black (13.0%) and Two or More Races (3.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ambrose
The surname Ambrose originated in France during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Latin name "Ambrosius," which means "immortal" or "divine." The name can be traced back to the 4th century saint, St. Ambrose, who was the Bishop of Milan.
The earliest known records of the name Ambrose as a surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name was recorded as "Ambrose" and "Ambroys," indicating its French origins.
During the Middle Ages, the name Ambrose was particularly popular among the nobility and the clergy. One notable figure was Ambrose of Milan (339-397 AD), a renowned theologian and philosopher who played a significant role in the development of Christian doctrine.
In the 12th century, a prominent bearer of the name was Ambrose of Normandy (1068-1137), a Benedictine monk and historian who wrote the "History of the Norman Kings." His work provided valuable insights into the Norman conquest of England.
Another notable figure was Ambrose Dudley (1528-1590), an English nobleman and courtier who served as the Earl of Warwick during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He played a pivotal role in the political and religious affairs of the time.
In the realm of literature, Ambrose Philips (1674-1749) was an English poet and playwright who was widely acclaimed for his pastoral poems. His works, such as "The Distressed Mother" and "Pastorals," influenced the literary landscape of the 18th century.
Finally, Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914), an American writer and satirist, is renowned for his contributions to literature. His work, "The Devil's Dictionary," a satirical lexicon of English language, remains a classic in the genre of dark humor.
Throughout history, the surname Ambrose has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including religious leaders, nobles, writers, and intellectuals. Its enduring presence across different cultures and time periods reflects its rich heritage and historical significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ambrose
Among Census respondents with the surname Ambrose, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.7%. The next largest groups are Black (13.0%) and Two or More Races (3.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Ambrose 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 Ambrose surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White77.7% · 12,591
- Black or African American13.0% · 2,100
- Two or more races3.5% · 573
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 571
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.4% · 232
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 135
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ambrose
Ambrose 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
#2,107
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 17,178
+481 bearers (+2.9%)
Per 100,000 5.82
Rank movement Down 115 places
2020
#2,192
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 16,202
-976 bearers (-5.7%)
Per 100,000 5.42
Rank movement Down 85 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #1,992 | 16,697 | 6.19 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,107 | 17,178 | 5.82 | +481 bearers (+2.9%) | Down 115 places |
| 2020 | #2,192 | 16,202 | 5.42 | -976 bearers (-5.7%) | Down 85 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 Ambrose 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 | #2,107 | #2,192 | -4.0% |
| Count | 17,178 | 16,202 | -5.7% |
| Per 100K | 5.82 | 5.42 | -6.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ambrose bearers went from 17,178 to 16,202 (-5.7% change). The surname moved down 85 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,107 to #2,192.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Ambrose
FAQ
Ambrose surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ambrose?
Name Census estimates that about 18,579 living Americans carry the surname Ambrose. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 18,448 residents.
How common is Ambrose?
Ambrose ranks #2,192 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 5.42 per 100,000 residents, which is about 5 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 16,202 people with the surname Ambrose. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (18,579), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 5.42 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 5.42 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 5 of them to have the surname Ambrose.
Has Ambrose become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ambrose went from 17,178 recorded bearers to 16,202. That is a decrease of 976 (-5.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,107 to #2,192.
What does the Census say about the background of Ambrose?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ambrose, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.7%. The next largest groups are Black (13.0%) and Two or More Races (3.5%). 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 Ambrose in the 2020 Census, accounting for 77.7% (12,591 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ambrose appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (77.7%), Black (13.0%), Two or More Races (3.5%). 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 Ambrose (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 Ambrose mean?
Derived from the Latin name Ambrosius, meaning "immortal" or "divine," and bestowed as a surname. 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 Ambrose (5.42 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 common is the surname Ambrose?
If you just want to know how many Americans have the surname Ambrose, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.