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

Birts, 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 Birts surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Birts in America

Birts is the 60505th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Birts surname appeared 333 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 Birts.

We can also compare 2010 data for Birts 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 Birts

The surname BIRTS is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, derived from the place name 'Birts' or 'Birtes', which was likely a small village or hamlet in England. This surname is thought to have evolved from the Old English words 'byr' meaning 'dwelling' and 'tes' meaning 'place'.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the BIRTS surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1196, where a William de Birts is mentioned. This suggests that the name had already established itself in certain regions of England by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273 contain a reference to a John de Birts, indicating the spread of this surname across different counties in England during that time period.

The BIRTS surname also appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a Robert Birts was listed as a taxpayer. This record provides evidence of the various spellings the surname may have taken on, as it evolved over time.

One notable figure in history bearing the BIRTS name was Sir John Birts, a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in the late 16th century. He was born around 1548 and served in the House of Commons during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another individual of historical significance was Thomas Birts, a English clergyman and academic who lived in the 17th century. Born in 1630, he served as the Regius Professor of Hebrew at the University of Oxford from 1675 until his death in 1681.

In the 18th century, a certain Edward Birts gained recognition as a prominent architect and surveyor in London. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in the city, including the St. James's Church in Piccadilly, which was completed in 1684.

The BIRTS surname also has ties to the literary world through William Birts, an English writer and poet who lived during the early 19th century. He published several works of poetry and prose, including a collection of poems titled "The Village Muse" in 1814.

Lastly, one cannot overlook the achievements of Sir Ralph Birts, a renowned English engineer and inventor from the late 19th century. Born in 1857, he is credited with numerous innovations in the field of mechanical engineering, including the development of a pioneering steam turbine design.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Birts

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

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

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

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