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

Arvin, 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 Arvin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Arvin in America

Arvin is the 13029th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Arvin surname appeared 2,357 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Arvin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Arvin 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 Arvin

The surname Arvin is believed to have originated in England, likely during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be a locational name derived from a place called Arvan or Arfan, which may have been an old settlement or village in one of the English counties.

Some sources suggest that the name Arvin could be a variant spelling of the Old English name Arfan, which means "reverent" or "honorable." This name may have been given to someone who was highly respected in their community or known for their pious or virtuous character.

Alternatively, Arvin may be derived from the Old English word "ærfan," which means "to inherit" or "to possess." This could indicate that the name was initially given to someone who inherited land or property, or was a landowner or noble.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Arvin can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Shropshire from the late 12th century, where a person named Alanus de Arvan is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by that time, and may have been associated with a specific location known as Arvan.

In the 13th century, the Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire mention a John de Arvan, indicating the name's continued presence and potential spread across different regions of England.

Notable individuals with the surname Arvin include:

1. Richard Arvin (c. 1510–1570), an English Protestant clergyman and author who published works on theology and church history.
2. William Arvin (1628–1699), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Shropshire in the late 17th century.
3. Elizabeth Arvin (1708–1789), an English philanthropist and benefactor who donated significant funds to establish schools and aid the poor in her local community.
4. Thomas Arvin (1794–1868), a British explorer and naturalist who led expeditions to South America and the Caribbean, contributing to the study of flora and fauna in those regions.
5. Charlotte Arvin (1856–1932), an English novelist and poet whose works explored themes of love, loss, and the complexities of human relationships.

While the surname Arvin may have evolved over time and taken on various spellings, its origins can be traced back to England, where it likely emerged as a locational name or a name reflecting someone's character, inheritance, or social standing.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Arvin

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

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

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

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