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

Cumberland, 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 Cumberland surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cumberland in America

Cumberland is the 13578th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cumberland surname appeared 2,233 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 Cumberland.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cumberland 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 Cumberland

The surname Cumberland originates from the historic county of Cumberland in North West England, near the border with Scotland. The name is derived from the Old English words 'cumba' meaning a valley, and 'land' meaning land or territory. The earliest recorded spelling of the placename was 'Cumbra land' in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, dated around 945 AD.

Cumberland was an important region during the Anglo-Saxon period, and the name appears in several medieval records and manuscripts. One notable example is the Domesday Book of 1086, where the area is referred to as 'Cumberlande'. This valuable historical document provides insights into the landowners and settlements of the time.

The surname Cumberland likely emerged as a locational name, referring to people who originated from or were associated with the county. Some of the earliest recorded examples of the surname include William de Cumberland, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166, and Robert de Cumberland, who was listed in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273.

Over the centuries, various spellings of the surname emerged, such as Cumberlaunde, Cumbreland, and Cumerland, reflecting the regional dialects and variations in pronunciation. The name was also influenced by the place names within Cumberland, such as Penrith, Carlisle, and Whitehaven.

Notable individuals with the surname Cumberland include:

1. Richard Cumberland (1632-1718), an English philosopher and bishop of Peterborough.
2. Denison Cumberland (1781-1865), a British naval officer and inventor of the Cumberland projectile.
3. William Augustus Cumberland (1796-1865), an English diplomat and writer, known for his plays and novels.
4. Arden Cumberland (1786-1851), an English playwright and dramatist, best known for his comedy 'The Jew'.
5. George Cumberland (1558-1628), an English bishop and scholar, known for his work on the Phoenician language.

These are just a few examples of the prominent individuals who bore the surname Cumberland throughout history, reflecting its deep roots in the region and its significance in various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cumberland

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

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

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

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