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

Ashe, 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 Ashe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ashe in America

Ashe is the 4573rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ashe surname appeared 7,756 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Ashe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ashe 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 Ashe

The surname Ashe is believed to have originated in England, with its roots tracing back to the Anglo-Saxon period. The name is derived from the Old English word "æsc," which means "ash tree." This suggests that the name was initially given as a descriptive surname to someone who lived near an ash tree or a place where ash trees grew abundantly.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ashe can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings and properties in England compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book mentions several individuals with the surname Ashe or variations of it, such as Asche or Aschen.

During the medieval period, the name Ashe was particularly prevalent in various counties of England, including Derbyshire, Staffordshire, and Warwickshire. It is believed that the name may have been associated with certain place names, such as Ashbourne in Derbyshire or Ashby in Leicestershire, both of which incorporate the element "ash" in their names.

One notable individual bearing the surname Ashe was Sir Joseph Ashe (1617-1686), an English politician and member of parliament for Thetford during the 17th century. Another prominent figure was St. George Ashe (1658-1718), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Principal of Brasenose College, Oxford.

In the 18th century, the surname Ashe gained recognition with the birth of Samuel Ashe (1725-1813), a prominent American patriot and statesman who served as the governor of North Carolina during the American Revolutionary War. His son, John Baptista Ashe (1748-1802), also played a significant role in the Revolutionary War as a colonel in the Continental Army.

Another notable individual with the surname Ashe was Thomas Ashe (1836-1889), an English author and novelist who wrote several popular works during the Victorian era, including "The Tragedy of the Sowers" and "A Hardy Norseman."

While the surname Ashe has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and other English-speaking countries, carried by individuals and families who migrated from their ancestral homes.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ashe

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

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

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

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