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

Arnett, 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 Arnett surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Arnett in America

Arnett is the 2206th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Arnett surname appeared 16,499 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Arnett.

We can also compare 2010 data for Arnett 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 Arnett

The surname Arnett has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old French name "Arnaud" or "Arnolt", which itself comes from the Germanic name "Arnwald", meaning "ruler of eagles".

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Arnett can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1176, where a certain Richard Arnett is mentioned. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1279, listing a William Arnett as a landowner.

During the Middle Ages, the name Arnett was particularly prevalent in the counties of Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Leicestershire. It is thought that the name may have originated from a place called Arnat or Arnot, which no longer exists but was likely located in one of these areas.

In the 14th century, the Arnett family was well-established in the village of Tamworth, Staffordshire. A notable member of this family was John Arnett, who served as a bailiff in Tamworth in 1362. Another early record mentions a Thomas Arnett, who was a landowner in Warwickshire in the late 15th century.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Arnett was Sir John Arnett (1555-1637), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Lichfield during the reign of King James I. He was also a prominent landowner in Staffordshire and played a significant role in local affairs.

Other notable Arnetts throughout history include:

1. William Arnett (1808-1863), an English clergyman and author who served as the Vicar of Shepshed, Leicestershire.
2. Richard Arnett (1828-1888), an English-born Australian politician who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.
3. Trevor Arnett (1924-2017), a British artist and sculptor known for his abstract works and public sculptures.
4. Susan Arnett (born 1959), an American actress best known for her roles in television shows like "The Waltons" and "Little House on the Prairie".
5. Jim Arnett (born 1953), an American professional golfer who won several tournaments on the PGA Tour during the 1970s and 1980s.

While the name Arnett has undergone various spellings over the centuries, such as Arnett, Arnitt, and Arnatt, its origins can be traced back to the medieval English heartlands, where it was borne by individuals of notable standing and influence.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Arnett

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

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

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

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