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

August, 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 August surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of August in America

August is the 5389th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The August surname appeared 6,456 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname August.

We can also compare 2010 data for August 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 August

The surname August originated in Germany during the medieval period, derived from the Latin name Augustus, meaning "venerable" or "consecrated." It was initially used as a personal name or a nickname, referring to someone born in the month of August or someone of high esteem.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname August can be found in various German records and documents dating back to the 13th century. One notable example is a mention of a certain Henricus August in the Codex Diplomaticus Anhaltinus, a collection of historical records from the Anhalt region, dated around 1270.

In the 14th century, the name August appeared in several historical manuscripts, such as the Werdener Urkundenbuch, which contained records from the town of Werden in the Ruhr region. These early mentions suggest that the name was well-established in various parts of Germany by this time.

As the surname spread throughout German-speaking regions, it underwent slight variations in spelling, including Augustin, Augustinus, and Augustiner. Some of these variations were likely influenced by the Latin root "Augustus" or the month of August.

Prominent individuals bearing the surname August throughout history include Johann Christian August Heyse (1764-1829), a German philologist and lexicographer known for his work on the German language. Another notable figure is Friedrich August von Hayek (1899-1992), an Austrian-British economist and philosopher who received the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1974.

Other notable individuals with the surname August include:

1. Johann Samuel August Abbt (1733-1766), a German philosopher and writer.
2. Johann Christian August Clarus (1774-1854), a German jurist and criminologist.
3. Johann August Sutter (1803-1880), a German-born Swiss pioneer and settler in California.
4. Ernst August Guenther (1876-1963), a German-born American botanist and plant breeder.
5. Adolphus August Busch (1839-1913), a German-American brewer and co-founder of the Anheuser-Busch company.

While the surname August has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through German immigration and cultural influence. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period and the Latin name Augustus, reflecting its historical significance and enduring presence.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name August

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

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

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

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