2000
#29,325
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 760
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.28
Rare Last name
Aye
A Scottish surname derived from the Old Norse word "eyja" meaning island.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,327 Americans carry the last name Aye. That puts it at #10,542 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.97 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 103,022 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Aye surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Aye with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.3K
1 in 103,022
Census rank
#10,542
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,901 bearers of the surname Aye in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.97 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10542nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Aye, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 81.2%. The next largest groups are White (10.1%) and Black (6.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Aye
The surname "Aye" is believed to have originated in France during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "aie," which means "help" or "assistance." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who provided aid or support in some capacity.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Aye" and is listed as a landowner in the county of Hertfordshire.
In the 13th century, there are records of a family named "Aye" residing in the village of Aynho, located in the county of Northamptonshire, England. It is possible that the name may have originated from this place name or vice versa.
One notable individual with the surname "Aye" was Sir Robert Aye, a prominent English landowner and knight who lived during the reign of King Edward III in the 14th century. He was known for his military service and participated in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War.
Another historical figure with this surname was Jean Aye, a French philosopher and theologian who lived in the 16th century. He was a renowned scholar and taught at the University of Paris, contributing to the intellectual discourse of his time.
In the 17th century, there was a Dutch merchant named Pieter Aye, who was involved in the lucrative spice trade between the Netherlands and the East Indies. He made significant contributions to the economic prosperity of the Dutch East India Company.
During the 18th century, a French architect named Jacques-François Aye gained recognition for his work on several notable buildings, including the Palais de la Bourse in Paris. His architectural designs were influenced by the Neoclassical style prevalent during that era.
In the 19th century, a British explorer named Charles Aye embarked on several expeditions to Africa, where he made significant contributions to the mapping and exploration of the continent. His detailed accounts of his travels provided valuable insights into the geography and cultures of the regions he visited.
While the surname "Aye" may not be as common today, it has a rich historical legacy spanning various countries and professions, from landowners and knights to scholars, merchants, architects, and explorers.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Aye
Among Census respondents with the surname Aye, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 81.2%. The next largest groups are White (10.1%) and Black (6.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Aye bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Aye surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander81.2% · 2,355
- White10.1% · 294
- Black or African American6.2% · 181
- Hispanic or Latino1.5% · 43
- Two or more races0.9% · 27
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Aye
Aye appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#15,938
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,823
+1,063 bearers (+139.9%)
Per 100,000 0.62
Rank movement Up 13,387 places
2020
#10,542
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,901
+1,078 bearers (+59.1%)
Per 100,000 0.97
Rank movement Up 5,396 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #29,325 | 760 | 0.28 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #15,938 | 1,823 | 0.62 | +1,063 bearers (+139.9%) | Up 13,387 places |
| 2020 | #10,542 | 2,901 | 0.97 | +1,078 bearers (+59.1%) | Up 5,396 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Aye surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #15,938 | #10,542 | 33.9% |
| Count | 1,823 | 2,901 | 59.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.62 | 0.97 | 56.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Aye bearers went from 1,823 to 2,901 (+59.1% change). The surname moved up 5,396 positions in the national ranking, going from #15,938 to #10,542.
FAQ
Aye surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Aye?
Name Census estimates that about 3,327 living Americans carry the surname Aye. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 103,022 residents.
How common is Aye?
Aye ranks #10,542 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.97 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,901 people with the surname Aye. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,327), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.97 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.97 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Aye.
Has Aye become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Aye went from 1,823 recorded bearers to 2,901. That is an increase of 1,078 (+59.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #15,938 to #10,542.
What does the Census say about the background of Aye?
Among Census respondents with the surname Aye, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 81.2%. The next largest groups are White (10.1%) and Black (6.2%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Aye in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.2% (2,355 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Aye appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (81.2%), White (10.1%), Black (6.2%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Aye (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Aye mean?
A Scottish surname derived from the Old Norse word "eyja" meaning island. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Aye (0.97 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Aye?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Aye on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.