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

Ea, 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 Ea surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ea in America

Ea is the 43511th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ea surname appeared 496 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Ea.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ea 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 Ea

The surname "Ea" is believed to have originated in the north-western regions of England, particularly in the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire, during the late medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "ea," meaning "river" or "stream," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this surname may have lived near or had some association with a waterway.

One of the earliest known references to the surname "Ea" can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, a historical record of financial accounts and transactions, dating back to the early 13th century. These records mention individuals with the surname "de Ea," which was a common practice at the time to denote one's place of origin or residence.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in various spellings such as "Ey," "Eye," and "Eay" in various manor rolls and tax records from the northern counties of England. This variation in spelling was common during the Middle Ages due to the lack of standardized orthography.

One notable early bearer of the surname "Ea" was John de Ea, a landowner and yeoman from the village of Easington in County Durham, who lived in the late 14th century. His name is recorded in the Court Rolls of Easington, indicating his status as a tenant farmer and his association with the local area.

Another historical figure with the surname "Ea" was William Eay, a merchant and freeman of the City of York, who was mentioned in the Freemen's Roll of York in the early 15th century. His surname is believed to be a variant spelling of "Ea," reflecting the regional dialect and pronunciation of the time.

In the 16th century, the surname "Ea" appears to have spread beyond the northern regions of England, with records showing individuals bearing this name in other parts of the country. One notable example is Thomas Ey, a scholar and theologian from Oxfordshire, who was born in 1548 and became a fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford.

As the centuries progressed, the surname "Ea" underwent further variations in spelling, with forms such as "Eay," "Eaye," and "Eee" appearing in various parish registers and census records. These variations were likely influenced by regional accents and dialects, as well as the personal preferences of individuals or families.

Throughout history, the surname "Ea" has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, merchants, scholars, and professionals. While not as widespread as some other English surnames, it has maintained a presence in various parts of the country, particularly in the north-western regions where it originated.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ea

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

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

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

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