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

Citizen, 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 Citizen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Citizen in America

Citizen is the 19602nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Citizen surname appeared 1,376 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 Citizen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Citizen 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 Citizen

The surname CITIZEN is believed to have originated in England in the late medieval period, possibly derived from the Old French word "citeien" or "citezen," meaning "city-dweller" or "town-dweller." This name likely referred to someone who lived within the walls of a city or town, as opposed to a rural area.

During the Middle Ages, many people adopted surnames based on their occupation, place of origin, or distinctive physical or personal characteristics. The surname CITIZEN may have been given to individuals who had moved from the countryside to towns or cities, or perhaps to those who held certain civic positions or rights within urban communities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname CITIZEN can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a John Citezene is listed. Another early reference comes from the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1379, which mentions a William Citezen.

In the 15th century, the surname appears in various spellings, such as Citisein, Citeseyn, and Citezein, reflecting the evolving nature of surnames during that period. For example, the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence from a wealthy Norfolk family, include mentions of a John Cytesyn in 1459 and a John Cytezein in 1472.

One notable early bearer of the surname CITIZEN was Richard Citizen, a merchant and alderman of the city of London in the late 15th century. He served as Mayor of London from 1491 to 1492 and was a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers.

In the 16th century, the surname CITIZEN can be found in various records, including the Lay Subsidy Rolls for Warwickshire in 1524, which lists a Henry Cytezen. Another individual of note was John Citizen, a clergyman who served as Rector of St. Peter's Church in Cornhill, London, from 1588 to 1594.

During the 17th century, the surname CITIZEN continued to appear in various records, such as the Parish Registers of St. Giles Cripplegate in London, which mention a William Citizen in 1619 and a Robert Citizen in 1643. Additionally, a Thomas Citizen was recorded as a member of the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers in London in 1631.

In the 18th century, one notable bearer of the surname CITIZEN was Edward Citizen, a writer and translator who was born in London in 1731. He is known for his translations of French works, including a 1769 edition of Voltaire's "The Orphan of China."

Throughout the centuries, the surname CITIZEN has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, clergymen, writers, and civic officials. While the name may have originated as a reference to urban dwellers, it has since become a widely recognized surname across England and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Citizen

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

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

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

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