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

Below, 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 Below surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Below in America

Below is the 23397th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Below surname appeared 1,087 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 Below.

We can also compare 2010 data for Below 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 Below

The surname Below has its origins in England, first appearing in records around the 13th century. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place name referring to a location that was situated "below" or at the foot of a hill or other geographic feature.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Walter Below, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1246. This suggests that the name may have originated in that region, possibly from a place name like Nether or Nether Court, both of which mean "lower" in Old English.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, there is a mention of a Richard Below in Oxfordshire, indicating the spread of the name to other parts of England by that time. The various spellings found in early records, such as Belowe, Belough, and Belogh, reflect the evolution of the name over time.

During the medieval period, the name appears in several historical documents, including the Subsidy Rolls of 1327, where a John Below was listed in Worcestershire. The name is also found in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1379, with a Robert Below mentioned in connection with a land transaction.

Among the notable individuals bearing the Below surname are:

1. Sir Thomas Below (c. 1450-1518), a prominent English lawyer and member of the parliament during the reign of Henry VII.
2. Elizabeth Below (1570-1642), a wealthy landowner and philanthropist from Nottinghamshire, known for her charitable contributions to the local community.
3. John Below (1620-1688), a successful merchant and alderman in the City of London, who served as the Sheriff of London in 1671.
4. William Below (1755-1831), a British naval officer who distinguished himself during the Napoleonic Wars and rose to the rank of Rear Admiral.
5. Sir Henry Below (1825-1892), a renowned British architect and civil engineer, responsible for designing several notable buildings and railway projects in the Victorian era.

While the surname Below may have originated from a specific place name, it has since spread across England and beyond, with bearers contributing to various fields throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Below

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

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

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

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