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

Askew, 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 Askew surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Askew in America

Askew is the 2634th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Askew surname appeared 13,683 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Askew.

We can also compare 2010 data for Askew 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 Askew

The surname Askew has its origins in England, tracing back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "ascu" or "asc," meaning ash tree, and the suffix "-hyll," signifying a hill or ridge. This suggests that the name initially referred to someone who lived near or on an ash-covered hill or ridge.

In its earliest recorded form, the name appeared as "Askewe" in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273. This document, compiled during the reign of King Edward I, was an important record of landowners and tenants at the time.

The name Askew can be found in various historical records throughout the centuries. For instance, it appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a certain John Askew was listed as a taxpayer. Additionally, the name is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379, indicating its presence in different regions of England.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Askew was Sir Adam Askew, a nobleman who lived in the late 14th century. He was a prominent figure in Lancashire and held the manor of Stalmine in the Fylde region.

Another notable bearer of the name was Anne Askew (1521-1546), a Protestant martyr during the English Reformation. She was tried for heresy and famously tortured on the rack for her beliefs before being burned at the stake in London.

In the 16th century, the Askew family established themselves in the village of Redheugh, near Newcastle upon Tyne. One of their descendants, John Askew (1598-1659), was a notable puritan minister who served as the rector of Greystoke in Cumberland.

The name also has connections to place names, such as Askew Hill in the village of Askew Bridge in Yorkshire. This further reinforces the connection between the surname and its geographical origins.

Other individuals of historical significance with the surname Askew include Sir Robert Askew (1690-1772), a British Member of Parliament for Richmond, Yorkshire, and Anthony Askew (1722-1774), a distinguished physician and classical scholar who served as the Regius Professor of Physic at Cambridge University.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Askew

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

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

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

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