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

Apt, 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 Apt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Apt in America

Apt is the 41100th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Apt surname appeared 530 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 Apt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Apt 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 Apt

The surname Apt originated in England during the late medieval period, derived from the Old English word "aept" meaning "apt" or "suitable." It was likely first used as a nickname for someone considered particularly skilled or well-suited for a particular task or occupation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Apt can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where a John Apte is listed as residing in Oxfordshire. The spelling variations in these early records include Apte, Apete, and Atte Apte, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spellings at the time.

In the 14th century, the name Apt appears in several manorial records and tax rolls, indicating its gradual spread across various regions of England. Notable examples include Robert Apte, listed in the Poll Tax of Yorkshire in 1379, and William Apte, recorded in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1327.

The Apt surname is also found in various place names, such as Apton in Suffolk, which was once known as Apton Atte Apte, suggesting a connection between the surname and the location.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Apt surname was Sir John Apt (c. 1380-1459), a prominent landowner and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire during the reigns of Henry V and Henry VI.

Another notable figure was William Apt (c. 1510-1587), a wealthy merchant and alderman in the City of London, who served as Sheriff of London in 1567.

In the 17th century, the Apt surname gained prominence through the achievements of Thomas Apt (1621-1688), a renowned theologian and author who served as the Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral in London.

During the 18th century, the name Apt was carried by several influential figures, including the philosopher and writer Richard Apt (1712-1780) and the pioneering naturalist and explorer James Apt (1745-1821), who made significant contributions to the study of flora and fauna in the Americas.

In the 19th century, the Apt surname was associated with the industrialist and philanthropist Robert Apt (1823-1899), whose legacy included the establishment of several charitable foundations and educational institutions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Apt

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

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

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

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