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

Argent, 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 Argent surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Argent in America

Argent is the 49546th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Argent surname appeared 424 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 Argent.

We can also compare 2010 data for Argent 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 Argent

The surname Argent is of French origin, deriving from the Old French word "argent," meaning "silver." This name likely emerged during the medieval period, potentially referring to a person who worked with silver, such as a silversmith or a moneyer.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Argent can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions an individual named Robertus Argent, who held lands in Oxfordshire, England.

In the 13th century, records show the name Argent appearing in various forms, including "Argenton" and "Argentoun." These variations may have been influenced by the French town of Argenton-sur-Creuse or derived from the Latin word "argentum," also meaning "silver."

During the Renaissance period, several notable individuals bore the surname Argent. One such figure was Sir William Argent (c. 1505-1568), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1567-1568.

Another prominent figure was Bartholomew Argent (c. 1570-1640), an English poet and playwright who authored several works, including the play "The Wowers Well Met" in 1615.

In the 17th century, the name Argent was associated with various place names in England, such as Argent's Hill in Hampshire and Argent's Green in Hertfordshire. These locations may have been named after individuals bearing the Argent surname or related to their occupations or properties.

Later in history, Sir John Argent (1744-1821) was a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolutionary Wars. He rose to the rank of Admiral and was knighted for his service.

Another notable figure was Charles Argent (1856-1924), a British architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Leysian Mission in East London and the former London Coliseum Theatre.

These are just a few examples of individuals who bore the surname Argent throughout history, demonstrating its longevity and widespread use across various fields and regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Argent

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

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

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

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