2000
#6,363
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,926
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.83
Rare Last name
Amick
An English surname derived from a nickname meaning "friend" or "ally," likely of Germanic origin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,386 Americans carry the last name Amick. That puts it at #6,893 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.57 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 63,638 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Amick 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
5.4K
1 in 63,638
Census rank
#6,893
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,697 bearers of the surname Amick in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.57 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6893rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Amick, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Hispanic (3.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Amick
The surname Amick has its origins in the German language, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated as a locational surname, derived from a place name such as Ammichau or Amichau, which were small villages or towns located in Germany.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Freiburger Munsterbaumeister, a historical document from the 14th century that mentions a certain Cunrat Amicke. This suggests that the name was already in use by that time, likely referring to someone who hailed from one of the aforementioned places.
The name Amick is thought to have evolved from the old German word "amme," which means "wet nurse" or "midwife." This could indicate that some of the earliest bearers of this surname were involved in such professions or had ancestors who were.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Amick. One prominent figure was Johann Amick (1592-1659), a German composer and organist who lived during the Baroque period. His works, though relatively obscure today, were influential in his time.
Another individual of note was John Amick (1744-1819), an American soldier who fought in the Revolutionary War. He is said to have served under General George Washington and played a role in several key battles.
In the realm of literature, there was Elizabeth Amick (1820-1893), an American poet and writer who published several collections of poetry and prose works in the 19th century. Her work often explored themes of nature and spirituality.
Moving into the 20th century, one cannot overlook the contributions of George Amick (1924-2008), an American entrepreneur and business magnate who founded the successful Amick Farms poultry company.
Lastly, a more recent figure is the American actress Madchen Amick (born 1970), best known for her roles in television series such as "Twin Peaks" and "Riverdale." She has had a prolific career spanning several decades.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have borne the surname Amick throughout history, showcasing the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments associated with this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Amick
Among Census respondents with the surname Amick, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Hispanic (3.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Amick 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 Amick surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.8% · 4,311
- Two or more races3.3% · 153
- Hispanic or Latino3.2% · 151
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 39
- Black or African American0.6% · 28
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 15
Timeline
Historical Census data for Amick
Amick 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
#6,718
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,026
+100 bearers (+2.0%)
Per 100,000 1.70
Rank movement Down 355 places
2020
#6,893
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,697
-329 bearers (-6.5%)
Per 100,000 1.57
Rank movement Down 175 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,363 | 4,926 | 1.83 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,718 | 5,026 | 1.70 | +100 bearers (+2.0%) | Down 355 places |
| 2020 | #6,893 | 4,697 | 1.57 | -329 bearers (-6.5%) | Down 175 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 Amick 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 | #6,718 | #6,893 | -2.6% |
| Count | 5,026 | 4,697 | -6.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.70 | 1.57 | -7.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Amick bearers went from 5,026 to 4,697 (-6.5% change). The surname moved down 175 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,718 to #6,893.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Amick
FAQ
Amick surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Amick?
Name Census estimates that about 5,386 living Americans carry the surname Amick. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 63,638 residents.
How common is Amick?
Amick ranks #6,893 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.57 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,697 people with the surname Amick. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,386), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.57 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.57 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Amick.
Has Amick become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Amick went from 5,026 recorded bearers to 4,697. That is a decrease of 329 (-6.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #6,718 to #6,893.
What does the Census say about the background of Amick?
Among Census respondents with the surname Amick, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Hispanic (3.2%). 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 Amick in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.8% (4,311 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Amick appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.8%), Two or More Races (3.3%), Hispanic (3.2%). 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 Amick (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 Amick mean?
An English surname derived from a nickname meaning "friend" or "ally," likely of Germanic origin. 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 Amick (1.57 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 Amick?
See how many Americans have the surname Amick on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.