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

Close, 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 Close surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Close in America

Close is the 3739th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Close surname appeared 9,474 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Close.

We can also compare 2010 data for Close 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 Close

The surname Close originated in England, with earliest records dating back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "clos", meaning an enclosure or courtyard. The name likely referred to someone who lived near or worked at an enclosed area or field.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Close surname appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which lists a William le Clos. The Hundred Rolls were administrative records kept during the reign of King Edward I.

In the 14th century, the name was also found in other areas of England, such as Yorkshire and Gloucestershire. Variations in spelling included Cloos, Cloose, and Closse. The surname may have originated from a place name, such as Close in Derbyshire or Closes in Staffordshire.

A notable early bearer of the name was Robert Close, a 15th-century English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Carlisle from 1450 to 1452.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Close surname continued to appear in various records and documents across England. One example is John Close, a renowned English musician and composer who lived from around 1520 to 1597.

In the 18th century, the Close family established themselves as prominent landowners and gentry in Northamptonshire. Sir Henry Close (1753-1845) was a respected member of this family and served as a magistrate and Deputy Lieutenant of the county.

Another notable figure was Francis Close (1797-1882), an English Anglican clergyman and social reformer. He was a vocal advocate for the abolition of slavery and played a significant role in the establishment of the Church Missionary Society.

In the 19th century, the Close surname was also found in Scotland, where it was sometimes spelled Closs or Cluese. One notable Scottish bearer of the name was John Close (1816-1890), a minister and author who wrote extensively on religious topics.

As the Close surname spread across the British Isles and beyond, it continued to be associated with various professions, including farming, trade, and the clergy. The name's origins as a reference to an enclosure or courtyard have been retained throughout its long history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Close

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

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

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