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

Attenborough, 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 Attenborough surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Attenborough in America

Attenborough is the 138304th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Attenborough surname appeared 121 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 Attenborough.

We can also compare 2010 data for Attenborough 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 Attenborough

The surname Attenborough has its origins in England, dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period. It is derived from the Old English words "atten" meaning "at the" and "burgh" meaning "fortified dwelling" or "manor." The name is believed to have originated as a locational surname, referring to someone who lived near or was associated with a specific fortified town or manor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions "Adeneberge" in Bedfordshire, which is likely an early spelling variation of the name Attenborough.

During the medieval period, the name appeared in various records with different spellings, such as Atteborough, Adenebergh, and Attenburghe. These variations reflect the fluidity of spelling and the influence of local dialects at the time.

The earliest known bearer of the Attenborough name was Sir William Attenborough, born around 1390 in Nottinghamshire, England. He served as a knight and landowner during the reign of Henry V.

In the 16th century, the Attenborough family was well-established in Nottinghamshire, with records indicating their presence in the village of Attenborough, which likely derived its name from the family.

One notable figure from this period was Sir John Attenborough (1516-1585), who served as a Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire and played a crucial role in the suppression of the Pilgrimage of Grace, a rebellion against the English Reformation.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Attenborough name continued to spread across England, with families establishing themselves in various counties, including Leicestershire, Derbyshire, and Warwickshire.

In the 19th century, Sir Richard Attenborough (1811-1892) became a prominent figure, serving as a British diplomat and colonial administrator in South Africa. He played a significant role in the establishment of British rule in the region.

Another notable bearer of the Attenborough name was Sir David Attenborough (1926-present), the world-renowned naturalist, broadcaster, and environmentalist. Born in London, Sir David has gained global recognition for his numerous nature documentaries and contributions to the understanding and preservation of the natural world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Attenborough

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!