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

Ashes, 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 Ashes surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ashes in America

Ashes is the 160975th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ashes surname appeared 100 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 Ashes.

The history of the last name Ashes

The surname "Ashes" is believed to have originated in England, likely during the late medieval period or early modern era. It is derived from the Old English word "asce," which means "ash tree." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who lived near or worked with ash trees, or perhaps had some connection to a place named after the ash tree.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Ashes" can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a John Asche is mentioned. The spelling variation "Asche" was common in earlier times, reflecting the Old English origin of the name.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various historical records, such as the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1554, which mentions a Richard Ashe. The Hertfordshire Musters of 1572 also include a Thomas Ashe, indicating the presence of the surname in different regions of England during this period.

Notably, the "Ashes" surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One prominent figure was Thomas Ashe (1557-1618), an English writer and Church of England clergyman who served as a chaplain to Prince Henry, the eldest son of King James I.

Another individual of note was John Ashe (1720-1781), a American planter and revolutionary from North Carolina who served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War.

In the literary realm, Thomas Ashe (1836-1889) was an Irish writer and poet who gained recognition for his works celebrating Irish culture and nationalism, such as "The Lay of the Gavelkind" and "The Legend of Mickle-Fell."

Moving into the 20th century, we find Mary Ashe (1900-1974), an American tennis player who won the singles title at the U.S. National Championships (now the US Open) in 1923 and 1925.

Finally, it is worth mentioning Arthur Ashe (1943-1993), an American professional tennis player who achieved remarkable success, winning three Grand Slam singles titles and becoming the first Black player selected to the United States Davis Cup team. He was also a prominent advocate for civil rights and social justice.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the surname "Ashes" throughout history, reflecting the longevity and diversity of this name's presence across various fields and regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ashes

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

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 Ashes 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.

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

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

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