2000
#7,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,284
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.59
Rare Last name
Arbuckle
A locality name derived from a place in Scotland, likely meaning "herby pasture" in Scots Gaelic.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,761 Americans carry the last name Arbuckle. That puts it at #7,687 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.39 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 71,992 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Arbuckle 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 Arbuckle with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.8K
1 in 71,992
Census rank
#7,687
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,152 bearers of the surname Arbuckle in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.39 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7687th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Arbuckle, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.4%. The next largest groups are Black (5.4%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Arbuckle
The surname Arbuckle originated in Scotland, with roots tracing back to the 12th century. It is a locational name derived from the lands of Arbuthnott, located near Stonehaven in Kincardineshire. The name is believed to have evolved from the Gaelic term "ath-buthna," meaning "at the outer hut or dwelling."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists David de Arbuthnot as a landowner who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The Arbuckles were a prominent family in the region, with connections to the powerful Keith Earls Marischal.
In the 14th century, a branch of the family settled in the county of Ulster, Ireland, where they became established as landowners and played a significant role in the region's history. Notable individuals from this branch include John Arbuckle (1585-1655), a merchant and landowner in County Londonderry.
The Arbuckle name can be found in various historical records and manuscripts throughout the centuries. For instance, Sir Robert Arbuthnot (1552-1630) was a Scottish landowner and politician who served as a member of the Scottish Parliament. Another notable figure was Viscount Thomas Arbuthnot (1776-1868), a British naval officer and diplomat who played a crucial role in the Napoleonic Wars.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Arbuckle was William Arbuckle (c. 1300), a Scottish landowner and military leader who fought in the Wars of Scottish Independence. In the 16th century, James Arbuckle (1537-1605) was a Scottish clergyman and religious reformer who played a significant role in the establishment of Presbyterianism in Scotland.
The name also gained prominence in the United States, where several individuals made their mark in various fields. Amos Arbuckle (1778-1851) was an American businessman and politician who served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives. Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle (1887-1933) was a famous American actor and comedian during the silent film era.
While the surname Arbuckle has evolved over time, with various spellings such as Arbuthnot and Arbutnott, its roots can be traced back to the Scottish lands of Arbuthnott, where the name originated and gained prominence throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Arbuckle
Among Census respondents with the surname Arbuckle, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.4%. The next largest groups are Black (5.4%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Arbuckle 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 Arbuckle surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.4% · 3,461
- Black or African American5.4% · 223
- Two or more races4.5% · 186
- Hispanic or Latino4.4% · 182
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.5% · 63
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 37
Timeline
Historical Census data for Arbuckle
Arbuckle 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
#7,564
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,393
+109 bearers (+2.5%)
Per 100,000 1.49
Rank movement Down 382 places
2020
#7,687
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,152
-241 bearers (-5.5%)
Per 100,000 1.39
Rank movement Down 123 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,182 | 4,284 | 1.59 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,564 | 4,393 | 1.49 | +109 bearers (+2.5%) | Down 382 places |
| 2020 | #7,687 | 4,152 | 1.39 | -241 bearers (-5.5%) | Down 123 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 Arbuckle 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 | #7,564 | #7,687 | -1.6% |
| Count | 4,393 | 4,152 | -5.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.49 | 1.39 | -6.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Arbuckle bearers went from 4,393 to 4,152 (-5.5% change). The surname moved down 123 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,564 to #7,687.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Arbuckle
FAQ
Arbuckle surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Arbuckle?
Name Census estimates that about 4,761 living Americans carry the surname Arbuckle. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 71,992 residents.
How common is Arbuckle?
Arbuckle ranks #7,687 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.39 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,152 people with the surname Arbuckle. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,761), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.39 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.39 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Arbuckle.
Has Arbuckle become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Arbuckle went from 4,393 recorded bearers to 4,152. That is a decrease of 241 (-5.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,564 to #7,687.
What does the Census say about the background of Arbuckle?
Among Census respondents with the surname Arbuckle, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.4%. The next largest groups are Black (5.4%) and Two or More Races (4.5%). 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 Arbuckle in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.4% (3,461 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Arbuckle appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.4%), Black (5.4%), Two or More Races (4.5%). 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 Arbuckle (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 Arbuckle mean?
A locality name derived from a place in Scotland, likely meaning "herby pasture" in Scots Gaelic. 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 Arbuckle (1.39 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 have the last name Arbuckle?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Arbuckle on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.