Batchelor last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Batchelor

An occupational surname referring to an unmarried man or a young knight serving under another's standard.

Batchelor, 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 Batchelor surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Batchelor in America

Batchelor is the 3762nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Batchelor surname appeared 9,417 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Batchelor.

We can also compare 2010 data for Batchelor 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 3762 3483 7.70%
Count 9,417 9,389 0.30%
Proportion per 100k 3.19 3.48 -8.70%

The history of the last name Batchelor

The surname Batchelor has its origins in medieval England, tracing back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old French word "bachelier," which means "young man" or "squire." This term was initially used to refer to a low-ranking knight or a candidate for knighthood.

In the early days, the name Batchelor was primarily associated with young men who were in the service of knights or lords. It was a common practice for these individuals to take on the name Batchelor as a surname, reflecting their status as unmarried men in their master's household.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Batchelor can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where a certain William le Bacheler was mentioned in Shropshire. This document provides valuable evidence of the name's existence and usage during that period.

As time passed, the name Batchelor evolved and took on various spellings, such as Bachiler, Batcheler, and Batchelor. These variations were common due to the inconsistencies in spelling and record-keeping practices of the time.

In the 14th century, the Batchelor surname appeared in several historical records, including the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, where a John Batcheler was mentioned in 1348. Additionally, the Poll Tax Returns of 1379 recorded a Thomas Bacheler in Yorkshire.

One notable figure bearing the name Batchelor was Sir Fulke Batchelor (c. 1460-1516), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire. He played a significant role in the Battle of Stoke Field in 1487, where he fought alongside King Henry VII against the rebel forces led by Lord Audley.

Another individual of historical importance was Daniel Batchelor (1584-1619), an English clergyman and author. He served as the rector of Woodham Walter in Essex and is best known for his work titled "The Arminian Principles Maintained," which contributed to the theological debates of the time.

In the 17th century, the name Batchelor gained further recognition with the birth of Henry Batchelor (1616-1685), a renowned English writer and translator. He is particularly renowned for his translations of classical works, including Virgil's Eclogues and Georgics.

Moving into the 18th century, we encounter John Batchelor (1688-1759), an English horticulturist and botanist. He is credited with introducing several plant species to Britain, including the Bermuda cedar and the Fairchild mango.

These examples demonstrate the rich history and diverse backgrounds associated with the surname Batchelor, which has left an indelible mark on various aspects of English society throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Batchelor

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

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 Batchelor was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 81.30% 7,656
Non-Hispanic Black Only 13.62% 1,283
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.52% 49
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.42% 40
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.95% 184
Hispanic Origin 2.18% 205

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 Batchelor has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 81.30% 83.46% -2.62%
Black 13.62% 12.82% 6.05%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.52% 0.43% 18.95%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.42% 0.54% -25.00%
Two or More Races 1.95% 1.42% 31.45%
Hispanic 2.18% 1.33% 48.43%

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

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

Reference this page

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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!

"Batchelor last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 26, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/batchelor-surname-popularity/.

"Batchelor last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/batchelor-surname-popularity/. Accessed 26 July, 2024

Batchelor last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/batchelor-surname-popularity/.

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