2000
#13,554
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,055
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.76
Rare Last name
Choice
An English occupational surname referring to someone who sold items, from the Old English word "chois" meaning "to choose."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,326 Americans carry the last name Choice. That puts it at #14,214 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.68 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 147,358 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Choice surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
2.3K
1 in 147,358
Census rank
#14,214
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,028 bearers of the surname Choice in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.68 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14214th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Choice, the largest self-reported group is Black at 83.6%. The next largest groups are White (5.9%) and Two or More Races (5.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Choice
Among Census respondents with the surname Choice, the largest self-reported group is Black at 83.6%. The next largest groups are White (5.9%) and Two or More Races (5.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Choice bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Choice surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American83.6% · 1,696
- White5.9% · 119
- Two or more races5.6% · 114
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 69
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 22
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Choice
Choice appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#14,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,114
+59 bearers (+2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.72
Rank movement Down 647 places
2020
#14,214
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,028
-86 bearers (-4.1%)
Per 100,000 0.68
Rank movement Down 13 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,554 | 2,055 | 0.76 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,201 | 2,114 | 0.72 | +59 bearers (+2.9%) | Down 647 places |
| 2020 | #14,214 | 2,028 | 0.68 | -86 bearers (-4.1%) | Down 13 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Choice surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,201 | #14,214 | -0.1% |
| Count | 2,114 | 2,028 | -4.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.72 | 0.68 | -5.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Choice bearers went from 2,114 to 2,028 (-4.1% change). The surname moved down 13 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,201 to #14,214.
FAQ
Choice surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Choice?
Name Census estimates that about 2,326 living Americans carry the surname Choice. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 147,358 residents.
How common is Choice?
Choice ranks #14,214 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.68 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,028 people with the surname Choice. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,326), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.68 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.68 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Choice.
Has Choice become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Choice went from 2,114 recorded bearers to 2,028. That is a decrease of 86 (-4.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #14,201 to #14,214.
What does the Census say about the background of Choice?
Among Census respondents with the surname Choice, the largest self-reported group is Black at 83.6%. The next largest groups are White (5.9%) and Two or More Races (5.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Choice in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.6% (1,696 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Choice appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (83.6%), White (5.9%), Two or More Races (5.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Choice (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Choice mean?
An English occupational surname referring to someone who sold items, from the Old English word "chois" meaning "to choose." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Choice (0.68 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Choice?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Choice is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.