2000
#735
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 42,512
First available Census row
Per 100,000 15.76
Uncommon Last name
Bartlett
An English occupational surname referring to a person who kept or sold apples and other fruit.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 47,763 Americans carry the last name Bartlett. That puts it at #807 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 13.94 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 7,176 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bartlett 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 Bartlett with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
48K
1 in 7,176
Census rank
#807
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
13.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
42K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 41,652 bearers of the surname Bartlett in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 13.94 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 807th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bartlett, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and Black (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bartlett
The surname Bartlett has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval era. It is derived from the Old English words "bere" (meaning barley) and "tun" (referring to an enclosure or farm), suggesting that the name was initially associated with individuals who lived on or worked at a barley farm or estate.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bartlett can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Berthelet" in the county of Sussex. This entry provides evidence that the name was already in use during the 11th century.
As the name spread across England, various spellings emerged, including Bartelot, Bartlott, and Bartlit, reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and scribal interpretations. Over time, the spelling standardized to Bartlett, which became the predominant form.
Historically, the name Bartlett has been associated with several notable individuals. One prominent figure was John Bartlett (c. 1820-1905), an American lexicographer and publisher best known for compiling the influential reference work, "Bartlett's Familiar Quotations."
Another noteworthy Bartlett was Josiah Bartlett (1729-1795), a physician and statesman who was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, representing the state of New Hampshire.
In the realm of literature, John Bartlett (1916-1962), an English writer and critic, gained recognition for his works on English literature and his criticism of the literary establishment of the time.
The name Bartlett has also been associated with the world of science. Edwin Bartlett (1882-1964) was an American physicist and educator who made significant contributions to the field of electricity and magnetism.
Lastly, in the art world, Paul Bartlett (1865-1925) was an American sculptor known for his monumental works, including the famous equestrian statue of General Philip Sheridan in Washington, D.C.
While these examples showcase the diverse accomplishments of individuals bearing the surname Bartlett, the name's roots can be traced back to its humble beginnings as a descriptive surname denoting those who lived on or worked at a barley farm in medieval England.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bartlett
Among Census respondents with the surname Bartlett, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and Black (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Bartlett 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 Bartlett surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.5% · 36,455
- Two or more races4.0% · 1,652
- Black or African American3.6% · 1,510
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 1,487
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 342
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 206
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bartlett
Bartlett 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
#791
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 43,648
+1,136 bearers (+2.7%)
Per 100,000 14.80
Rank movement Down 56 places
2020
#807
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 41,652
-1,996 bearers (-4.6%)
Per 100,000 13.94
Rank movement Down 16 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #735 | 42,512 | 15.76 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #791 | 43,648 | 14.80 | +1,136 bearers (+2.7%) | Down 56 places |
| 2020 | #807 | 41,652 | 13.94 | -1,996 bearers (-4.6%) | Down 16 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 Bartlett 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 | #791 | #807 | -2.0% |
| Count | 43,648 | 41,652 | -4.6% |
| Per 100K | 14.80 | 13.94 | -5.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bartlett bearers went from 43,648 to 41,652 (-4.6% change). The surname moved down 16 positions in the national ranking, going from #791 to #807.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Bartlett
FAQ
Bartlett surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bartlett?
Name Census estimates that about 47,763 living Americans carry the surname Bartlett. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 7,176 residents.
How common is Bartlett?
Bartlett ranks #807 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 13.94 per 100,000 residents, which is about 14 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 41,652 people with the surname Bartlett. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (47,763), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 13.94 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 13.94 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 14 of them to have the surname Bartlett.
Has Bartlett become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bartlett went from 43,648 recorded bearers to 41,652. That is a decrease of 1,996 (-4.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #791 to #807.
What does the Census say about the background of Bartlett?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bartlett, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and Black (3.6%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bartlett in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.5% (36,455 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bartlett appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.5%), Two or More Races (4.0%), Black (3.6%). 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 Bartlett (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 Bartlett mean?
An English occupational surname referring to a person who kept or sold apples and other fruit. 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 Bartlett (13.94 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 many people have the surname Bartlett?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.