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

Class, 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 Class surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Class in America

Class is the 13053rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Class surname appeared 2,352 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 Class.

We can also compare 2010 data for Class 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 Class

The surname CLASS is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, deriving from the Old English word "clæs," meaning a place of pasture or meadow. This name likely referred to someone who lived near or worked on such lands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de Clasce," indicating a family or individual associated with a particular meadow or pasture. This early spelling variation suggests the name's roots in rural, agricultural communities of Anglo-Saxon England.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the surname CLASS took on various spellings, such as Clace, Claise, and Clase, reflecting regional dialects and inconsistencies in record-keeping. These variations often corresponded to specific locations, such as the village of Clace in Somerset or the manor of Clase in Gloucestershire.

Notable individuals bearing the CLASS surname include Sir John Class (c. 1495-1556), a prominent English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. Another early figure was William Class (c. 1530-1592), a clergyman who served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Beverley, Yorkshire.

In the 17th century, the surname CLASS gained recognition through the work of Sir Francis Class (1619-1688), an English judge and Member of Parliament. His contemporaries included Thomas Class (1628-1699), a renowned Oxford scholar and author of several theological works.

As the CLASS surname spread across England, it became associated with various occupations and professions. For example, in the 18th century, John Class (1745-1819) was a respected architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

Through the centuries, the CLASS name has also appeared in historical records and manuscripts beyond England's borders. For instance, the Dutch explorer and cartographer Willem Janszoon Blaeu (1571-1638), whose original surname was Class, gained fame for his groundbreaking maps and atlases.

These examples illustrate the rich history and geographical spread of the surname CLASS, which has endured through various spellings and regional variations, reflecting its ancient roots in the rural landscapes of medieval England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Class

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Class, 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!