2000
#28,824
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 777
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.29
Very Rare Last name
Double
A surname referring to someone who lived near a low-lying marshy area.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 922 Americans carry the last name Double. That puts it at #30,950 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.27 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 371,751 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Double 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 Double with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
922
1 in 371,751
Census rank
#30,950
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
804
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 804 bearers of the surname Double in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.27 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 30950th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Double, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Hispanic (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Double
The surname DOUBLE has its origins in medieval England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "doble," meaning "double" or "twofold," likely referring to someone who held two roles or occupations simultaneously. Alternatively, it may have been a descriptive surname given to someone who had a striking physical resemblance to another person.
Early records show the name appearing in various forms, such as Doubel, Dobbel, and Daubill, reflecting the inconsistencies in spelling during that time. One of the earliest known references is found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where a person named Robert Doubel is mentioned.
The DOUBLE surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Double Hill in Wiltshire and Double Leys in Worcestershire, suggesting that some individuals may have adopted the name based on their place of origin or residence.
One notable figure in history bearing the DOUBLE surname was John Double (c. 1510-1590), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Ely from 1578 until his death. Another was Sir Walter Double (1570-1627), an English judge and Member of Parliament during the reign of King James I.
In the 17th century, the DOUBLE surname gained recognition through the work of Peter Double (1618-1694), a renowned English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.
Another individual of historical importance was Thomas Double (1693-1770), a British writer and historian best known for his work "Remarks on Antiquities, Arts and Letters, During an Excursion in Italy" published in 1766.
During the 18th century, the DOUBLE surname was also associated with the arts, with James Double (1720-1794) being a notable English painter and engraver who exhibited his works at the Society of Artists and the Royal Academy.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the DOUBLE surname throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of the name's legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Double
Among Census respondents with the surname Double, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Hispanic (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Double 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 Double surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.7% · 737
- Two or more races2.9% · 23
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 14
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 14
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.1% · 9
- Black or African American0.9% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Double
Double 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
#29,403
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 804
+27 bearers (+3.5%)
Per 100,000 0.27
Rank movement Down 579 places
2020
#30,950
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 804
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.27
Rank movement Down 1,547 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #28,824 | 777 | 0.29 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #29,403 | 804 | 0.27 | +27 bearers (+3.5%) | Down 579 places |
| 2020 | #30,950 | 804 | 0.27 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 1,547 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 Double 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 | #29,403 | #30,950 | -5.3% |
| Count | 804 | 804 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.27 | 0.27 | -0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Double bearers went from 804 to 804 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 1,547 positions in the national ranking, going from #29,403 to #30,950.
FAQ
Double surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Double?
Name Census estimates that about 922 living Americans carry the surname Double. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 371,751 residents.
How common is Double?
Double ranks #30,950 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.27 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 804 people with the surname Double. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (922), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.27 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.27 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Double.
Has Double become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Double went from 804 recorded bearers to 804. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #29,403 to #30,950.
What does the Census say about the background of Double?
Among Census respondents with the surname Double, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Hispanic (1.7%). 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 Double in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.7% (737 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Double appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.7%), Two or More Races (2.9%), Hispanic (1.7%). 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 Double (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 Double mean?
A surname referring to someone who lived near a low-lying marshy area. 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 Double (0.27 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 people are called Double?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Double on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.