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

Early, 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 Early surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Early in America

Early is the 2578th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Early surname appeared 14,014 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Early.

We can also compare 2010 data for Early 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 Early

The surname Early has its origins in England, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "ærlic," which means "early" or "timely." This name was likely given as a descriptive nickname to someone who was known for being punctual or arriving early.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Early surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Erliche." This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England and serves as a valuable historical record.

In the 13th century, variations of the name started to appear in different parts of England, such as "Erli" in Oxfordshire and "Erly" in Gloucestershire. These regional spellings reflect the local dialects and pronunciations of the time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Early surname was John Early, who was born in Wiltshire, England, around 1350. He was a prominent landowner and his family's coat of arms can still be seen in the Church of St. Mary in the village of Ludgershall.

During the 16th century, the Early family established themselves in the county of Berkshire, where they owned a significant amount of land and property. Thomas Early (1537-1602), a member of this family, was a successful merchant and served as a magistrate in the town of Reading.

Another notable figure was Sir Samuel Early (1642-1719), a military officer who fought in the Nine Years' War against France. He was knighted for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield and later became a member of the English Parliament.

In the 18th century, the Early family expanded their influence to Ireland, where they settled in County Cork. One of the most prominent members of this branch was Richard Early (1755-1832), a wealthy landowner and philanthropist who was instrumental in establishing several schools and hospitals in the region.

As the Early surname spread across the British Isles, it also found its way to other parts of the world through migration and colonization. For example, John Early (1786-1858), a farmer from Yorkshire, England, emigrated to the United States in the early 19th century and settled in Ohio, where he became a respected member of the local community.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Early

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

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

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

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