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

Byron, 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 Byron surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Byron in America

Byron is the 5275th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Byron surname appeared 6,610 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Byron.

We can also compare 2010 data for Byron 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 Byron

The surname BYRON has its origins in England and dates back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "byre" meaning a cow-shed or barn, and "tun" meaning an enclosure or settlement. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a cattle-barn or farmstead.

The earliest known recorded instances of the name come from the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273, where it appears as "William de la Byron". It is also found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379 as "Johannes Byron". These early spellings highlight the name's evolution from its Old English roots.

In the 16th century, the BYRON family held lands in Nottinghamshire, centered around the village of Newstead Abbey. Sir John BYRON (1599-1652) was an English Royalist and served as Lieutenant of the Tower of London during the English Civil War. His great-grandson, William BYRON (1722-1798), inherited the family estate and became the 5th Baron Byron of Rochdale.

Perhaps the most famous individual with the surname is the renowned Romantic poet, Lord George Gordon BYRON (1788-1824). Born into the aristocratic BYRON family, he achieved literary fame for his narrative poems such as "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage" and "Don Juan". His flamboyant lifestyle and complicated personal life only added to his legendary status.

Another notable figure was the English explorer and navigator, John BYRON (1723-1786). He circumnavigated the globe on the HMS Dolphin between 1764 and 1766, and his voyage contributed significantly to the mapping of the Pacific Ocean.

In the world of theatre, Ada BYRON (1815-1852), the daughter of Lord Byron, was a pioneering figure in computer programming. She worked with Charles Babbage on his proposed mechanical general-purpose computer, the Analytical Engine, and is considered a trailblazer in the field of computer science.

The BYRON surname has a rich history, spanning centuries and encompassing individuals from diverse fields, including literature, exploration, and science. While its origins can be traced back to rural England, the name has since become globally recognized, thanks to the enduring legacy of its most famous bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Byron

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

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

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

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