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

Avalon, 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 Avalon surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Avalon in America

Avalon is the 61745th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Avalon surname appeared 325 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 Avalon.

We can also compare 2010 data for Avalon 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 Avalon

The surname Avalon has its origins in the British Isles, particularly in England and Wales. It is believed to have derived from the place name Avalon, which was a legendary island featured prominently in Arthurian legends. The name Avalon is thought to be derived from the Welsh words "afal" meaning apple and "ynys" meaning island, suggesting the Isle of Apples.

Avalon was first mentioned in the 12th century by the Norman-French poet Wace in his work "Roman de Brut." He described it as the island to which King Arthur was taken after being mortally wounded in battle. Avalon was also referenced in the works of other medieval writers such as Chrétien de Troyes and Geoffrey of Monmouth, solidifying its place in Arthurian mythology.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Avalon can be traced back to the late 13th century. In 1296, a John de Avalon is mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire. Another early record is from 1327, when a Richard Avalon is listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the surname Avalon. One of the earliest was Sir John Avalon (1410-1480), a prominent English knight and landowner during the Wars of the Roses. Another was William Avalon (1562-1626), an English theologian and scholar who served as the Regius Professor of Divinity at Cambridge University.

In the 19th century, John Timbrell Avalon (1825-1898) was a renowned English architect responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in London. Sir Thomas Avalon (1836-1912) was a British politician and businessman who served as a Member of Parliament for Southwark.

More recently, Arthur Avalon (1865-1939), whose birth name was Sir John Woodroffe, was a prominent scholar of Hinduism and Sanskrit literature. He wrote extensively on Hindu philosophy and tantra under his pseudonym.

Throughout its history, the surname Avalon has maintained its connection to the legendary island of Arthurian lore, evoking a sense of mystery and enchantment. While its origins are rooted in medieval Britain, the name has endured and spread across the globe, carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and walks of life.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Avalon

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

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

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

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