Earth last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Earth

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near fertile land or soil.

Earth, 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 Earth surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Earth in America

Earth is the 126765th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Earth surname appeared 135 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 Earth.

The history of the last name Earth

The surname "EARTH" is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "eorthe," meaning "ground" or "soil." It is believed to have originated as a descriptive surname, given to someone who lived or worked on the land, perhaps a farmer or a landowner.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "EARTH" can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appeared as "Eortheman," which translates to "man of the earth."

In the 13th century, the surname was found in various spellings, such as "Erthe," "Erth," and "Erde," reflecting the evolution of the English language and regional variations in pronunciation. These early spellings are often associated with place names, suggesting that some individuals may have taken their surnames from the locations where they lived or worked.

One notable bearer of the surname "EARTH" was John Earth (c. 1460-1524), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Dean of Worcester Cathedral. He is known for his contributions to the study of canon law and his involvement in the ecclesiastical courts of the time.

Another significant figure was Thomas Earth (1590-1658), a English colonist who was one of the original settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He arrived in America aboard the ship "Arbella" in 1630 and is recorded as one of the founders of the town of Roxbury, Massachusetts.

In the 18th century, the surname "EARTH" was borne by Robert Earth (1725-1792), a prominent English agriculturalist and author. He wrote several influential works on farming practices and is credited with introducing new crop rotation methods that improved soil fertility and productivity.

During the Victorian era, the name "EARTH" gained prominence through the exploits of Sir John Earth (1810-1876), a British explorer and adventurer. He is best known for his expeditions to the Arctic regions and his discoveries in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, where several geographic features bear his name.

Finally, one cannot overlook the contributions of Mary Earth (1884-1962), a pioneering American archaeologist and anthropologist. She conducted extensive fieldwork in the American Southwest, studying the culture and history of various Native American tribes, and her findings significantly advanced our understanding of the region's past.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Earth

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

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 Earth was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 17.04% 23
Non-Hispanic Black Only 31.11% 42
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 42.22% 57
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 4.44% 6

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.

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

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

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"Earth last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 5, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/earth-surname-popularity/.

"Earth last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/earth-surname-popularity/. Accessed 5 July, 2025

Earth last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/earth-surname-popularity/.

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