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

Choice, 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 Choice surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Choice in America

Choice is the 14201st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Choice surname appeared 2,114 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Choice.

We can also compare 2010 data for Choice 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 Choice

The surname Choice is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English word "cyce" or "cycce", meaning cook or kitchen servant. It is believed to have first appeared in England during the 11th century, shortly after the Norman Conquest.

While not recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, some of the earliest known references to the name can be found in various medieval records and charters from the 12th and 13th centuries. For instance, a William le Chyche is mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls of Berkshire in 1212, and a Robert le Choche appears in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1279.

The surname Choice was likely derived from a nickname or occupational name given to someone who worked as a cook or served in a kitchen. Over time, it evolved from its original spellings of "Chyche", "Choche", and "Chiche" to the more modern form of "Choice".

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Sir John Choice, a wealthy merchant and landowner from Somerset, who lived during the late 14th century. Another notable figure was Richard Choice, a prominent clergyman and author who served as the Dean of Canterbury Cathedral in the early 16th century (c. 1490 - 1556).

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Choice became more widespread throughout England, particularly in the counties of Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire. Several notable individuals from this period include:

1. William Choice (c. 1525 - 1592), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Chippenham in 1553.
2. Elizabeth Choice (c. 1570 - 1635), a renowned herbalist and author of one of the earliest known books on medicinal plants in England.
3. John Choice (c. 1600 - 1668), a prominent merchant and shipowner who played a significant role in the establishment of the East India Company.
4. Thomas Choice (1638 - 1718), a renowned architect and craftsman who worked on several notable buildings, including the rebuilding of St. Paul's Cathedral after the Great Fire of London.
5. Mary Choice (1675 - 1744), a renowned Quaker writer and activist who campaigned against slavery and advocated for women's rights.

While the surname Choice is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages and has been borne by many notable individuals throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Choice

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

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!