Archie
Derived from the Old English name Archibald, meaning "genuine, bold, and brave."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 8,158 Americans carry the last name Archie. That puts it at #4,990 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.38 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 42,015 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Archie surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
8.2K
1 in 42,015
Census rank
#4,990
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
7.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 7,035 bearers of the surname Archie in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.38 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4990th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Archie, the largest self-reported group is Black at 74.5%. The next largest groups are White (17.9%) and Two or More Races (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Archie
The surname Archie is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic personal name Archibald. The earliest recorded instances of this name can be traced back to the 12th century in Scotland.
Archibald is a compound name composed of the Germanic elements "aris" meaning "genuine" or "true" and "bald" meaning "bold" or "brave." It was initially popularized by the influential Archie family, who were landowners and nobles in the Scottish Lowlands during the Middle Ages.
One of the earliest known bearers of the Archie surname was William Archie, a Scottish landowner mentioned in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document recording the names of Scottish nobles who swore fealty to King Edward I of England.
In the 14th century, the Archie surname appeared in the renowned Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, which documented financial transactions and land ownership records. This suggests that the Archie family held a prominent position in Scottish society during this period.
The Archie surname is also associated with the historic town of Archie in East Ayrshire, Scotland, which likely derived its name from the Archie family who once held lands in the area.
Notable individuals bearing the Archie surname throughout history include:
1. Sir William Archie (c. 1450-1520), a Scottish knight and landowner who served as a diplomat during the reigns of James IV and James V of Scotland.
2. Robert Archie (1590-1654), a Scottish minister and author who wrote extensively on theological subjects.
3. John Archie (1725-1801), a Scottish-American soldier and farmer who fought in the American Revolutionary War and later settled in Pennsylvania.
4. Alexander Archie (1805-1890), a Scottish-born American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio.
5. Sir Edward Archie (1851-1925), a British architect and engineer who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Albert Hall.
The Archie surname has a rich history deeply rooted in Scottish culture and tradition, with its origins tracing back to the medieval era and bearing the legacy of a once influential noble family.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Archie
Among Census respondents with the surname Archie, the largest self-reported group is Black at 74.5%. The next largest groups are White (17.9%) and Two or More Races (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Archie bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Archie surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American74.5%
- White17.9%
- Two or more races3.3%
- Hispanic or Latino2.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.9%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Archie surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,969 | #4,990 | -0.4% |
| Count | 6,487 | 7,035 | 8.4% |
| Per 100K | 2.40 | 2.38 | -0.8% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Archie bearers went from 6,487 to 7,035 (+8.4% change). The surname moved down 21 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,969 to #4,990.
FAQ
Archie surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Archie?
The surname Archie holds position #4,990 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 8,158 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 2.38 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Archie surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Archie, the largest self-reported group is Black at 74.5%. The next largest groups are White (17.9%) and Two or More Races (3.3%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.