2000
#81,700
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 215
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.08
Rare Last name
Daughter
A surname derived from the occupation of a female worker on a dairy farm.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,651 Americans carry the last name Daughter. That puts it at #9,729 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 93,880 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Daughter surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Daughter with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.7K
1 in 93,880
Census rank
#9,729
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,184 bearers of the surname Daughter in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9729th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Daughter, the largest self-reported group is White at 43.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (26.7%) and Black (21.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Daughter
The surname "DAUGHTER" is of English origin, with its roots dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "dohtor," which means "daughter." This name was initially used to refer to a female child or a descendant, and over time, it became a hereditary surname.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "DAUGHTER" can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1273, where a person named Richard Dohtor was mentioned. This suggests that the name had already been adopted as a surname by that time.
During the Middle Ages, the use of surnames was not as widespread as it is today. Many people were identified by their occupation, place of origin, or a physical characteristic. The surname "DAUGHTER" likely emerged as a descriptive name, indicating a familial relationship or lineage.
In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various historical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a person named John Doughter was listed. This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time.
One notable figure bearing the surname "DAUGHTER" was Elizabeth Daughter, an English writer and poet who lived from 1635 to 1717. Her works explored themes of religion, love, and nature, and she was celebrated for her poetic skill and eloquence.
Another prominent individual with this surname was Sir Thomas Daughter, a British politician and military officer who lived from 1785 to 1856. He served as a Member of Parliament and played a significant role in the Napoleonic Wars.
In the 19th century, the surname "DAUGHTER" was found in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Somerset. It was also present in other regions, although less commonly.
One noteworthy figure from this period was Mary Daughter, a pioneering educator who lived from 1822 to 1898. She founded several schools and advocated for the education of women, making significant contributions to the field of education.
The surname "DAUGHTER" has also been associated with places and locations. For instance, there is a village called Daughter's Green in Shropshire, England, which may have derived its name from a person or family bearing the surname "DAUGHTER."
While the surname "DAUGHTER" is not among the most common English surnames, it has a rich history and has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Daughter
Among Census respondents with the surname Daughter, the largest self-reported group is White at 43.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (26.7%) and Black (21.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Daughter bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Daughter surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White43.7% · 1,391
- Hispanic or Latino26.7% · 849
- Black or African American21.1% · 673
- Asian and Pacific Islander4.6% · 146
- Two or more races3.2% · 103
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 22
Timeline
Historical Census data for Daughter
Daughter appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#136,449
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
-92 bearers (-42.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 54,749 places
2020
#9,729
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,184
+3,061 bearers (+2488.6%)
Per 100,000 1.07
Rank movement Up 126,720 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #81,700 | 215 | 0.08 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #136,449 | 123 | 0.04 | -92 bearers (-42.8%) | Down 54,749 places |
| 2020 | #9,729 | 3,184 | 1.07 | +3,061 bearers (+2488.6%) | Up 126,720 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Daughter surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #136,449 | #9,729 | 92.9% |
| Count | 123 | 3,184 | 2488.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 1.07 | 2563.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Daughter bearers went from 123 to 3,184 (+2488.6% change). The surname moved up 126,720 positions in the national ranking, going from #136,449 to #9,729.
FAQ
Daughter surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Daughter?
Name Census estimates that about 3,651 living Americans carry the surname Daughter. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 93,880 residents.
How common is Daughter?
Daughter ranks #9,729 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.07 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,184 people with the surname Daughter. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,651), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.07 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.07 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Daughter.
Has Daughter become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Daughter went from 123 recorded bearers to 3,184. That is an increase of 3,061 (+2488.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #136,449 to #9,729.
What does the Census say about the background of Daughter?
Among Census respondents with the surname Daughter, the largest self-reported group is White at 43.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (26.7%) and Black (21.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Daughter in the 2020 Census, accounting for 43.7% (1,391 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Daughter appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (43.7%), Hispanic (26.7%), Black (21.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Daughter (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Daughter mean?
A surname derived from the occupation of a female worker on a dairy farm. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Daughter (1.07 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Daughter?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.