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

Arrow, 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 Arrow surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Arrow in America

Arrow is the 47429th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Arrow surname appeared 447 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 Arrow.

We can also compare 2010 data for Arrow 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 Arrow

The surname Arrow is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Oxfordshire, during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "arwe," which means "arrow," referring to someone who made or sold arrows.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Arrow can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it is spelled "Arwe." This document was a survey of landowners and their holdings, indicating that the name was already in use by the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in various forms, such as "Arowe," "Arroue," and "Arrue," reflecting the variations in spelling common during that time. The Subsidy Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1327 list a William Arowe, who may have been a fletcher or arrow-maker by trade.

The surname Arrow is also associated with several place names in England, such as Arrow in Warwickshire and Arrowtown in Herefordshire. These locations likely derived their names from the same Old English root, indicating the presence of arrow-makers or suppliers in those areas.

One notable figure in history with the surname Arrow was John Arrow (c. 1545-1615), an English playwright and poet. He is best known for his play "The Tanner of Denmark" and his contributions to the anthology "The Phoenix Nest."

Another individual of note was Sir Walter Arrow (1588-1663), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Stafford during the reign of Charles I. He played a role in the English Civil War and was a supporter of the Parliamentarian cause.

In the 18th century, the surname Arrow gained some prominence with the birth of James Arrow (1717-1799), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War.

Another notable figure was William Arrow (1805-1892), a English architect and surveyor who designed several churches and public buildings in Oxfordshire and neighbouring counties.

Lastly, the name Arrow is associated with Henry Arrow (1865-1932), a British businessman and philanthropist who founded the Arrow Shipping Company and made significant contributions to various charitable causes in the early 20th century.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the surname Arrow throughout history, reflecting its origins and presence in various regions of England over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Arrow

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

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

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

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