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

Counts, 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 Counts surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Counts in America

Counts is the 3664th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Counts surname appeared 9,713 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 Counts.

We can also compare 2010 data for Counts 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 Counts

The surname Counts is of English origin, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "cunt," meaning known or familiar, and was used as a descriptive name for someone who was well-known or respected in their community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Counts can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a person named Godric Cunte is listed as a landowner in Oxfordshire. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, records show a William Counte living in Worcestershire. The spelling variation "Counte" highlights the evolving nature of surnames during this time, as they gradually became more standardized.

During the 14th century, the surname Counts began to appear more frequently in various historical documents. One notable example is John Counts, a merchant and landowner who lived in Somerset between 1350 and 1420.

By the 15th century, the name had spread across England, with Counts families recorded in counties such as Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk. One prominent figure from this era was Richard Counts, a wealthy wool merchant from Coventry, who lived from 1435 to 1502.

In the 16th century, the Counts surname continued to gain prominence. Sir Edward Counts (1520-1585) was a respected judge and legal scholar who served as Chief Justice of the Common Pleas during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

As the surname spread across the English-speaking world, it also experienced variations in spelling and pronunciation. In Scotland, for example, the name was sometimes recorded as "Countess" or "Countis," reflecting the local dialect and accent.

Other notable individuals bearing the surname Counts include:

1. William Counts (1660-1734), an English botanist and naturalist known for his contributions to the study of plant life in the American colonies.
2. Elizabeth Counts (1765-1835), a British author and poet who wrote several novels and poems during the Romantic era.
3. John Counts (1810-1879), an American politician and lawyer who served as a U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania in the mid-19th century.
4. Mary Counts (1870-1945), an Australian artist and painter known for her landscapes and portraits depicting life in rural Australia.
5. George Counts (1889-1974), an American educator and social theorist who played a significant role in shaping the progressive education movement in the United States.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Counts

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

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

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

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