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

Ebenezer, 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 Ebenezer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ebenezer in America

Ebenezer is the 109758th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ebenezer surname appeared 161 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 Ebenezer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ebenezer 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 Ebenezer

The surname "Ebenezer" originates from the Hebrew language and is derived from the biblical phrase "Eben ha'ezer," which translates to "stone of help." This name is rooted in the Old Testament, specifically in the book of 1 Samuel, where the Israelite leader Samuel erects a stone monument and names it "Ebenezer" to commemorate God's assistance in defeating the Philistines.

The name first appeared in England during the 16th century, when the Protestant Reformation led to an increased interest in using biblical names among Puritan families. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in parish records from the counties of Yorkshire and Staffordshire, with variations in spelling such as "Ebenezar" and "Ebenezzer."

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname "Ebenezer" was Ebenezer Brewer, a Puritan minister who lived in Roxbury, Massachusetts, in the mid-17th century. He was born in 1637 and played a significant role in the early religious life of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Another notable figure was Ebenezer Erskine (1680-1754), a Scottish minister and one of the founders of the Secession Church in Scotland. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Associate Presbytery, which later became the United Presbyterian Church.

In the realm of literature, Ebenezer Scrooge is perhaps the most famous fictional character with this surname. Introduced in Charles Dickens' classic novel "A Christmas Carol" (1843), Scrooge's name is a nod to his miserly and unhappy nature, contrasting with the biblical meaning of "stone of help."

Moving into the 19th century, Ebenezer Bryce (1830-1913) was an influential English Baptist minister and author who served as the president of the Baptist Union of Great Britain and Ireland in 1886.

Ebenezer Howard (1850-1928), an English urban planner and founder of the garden city movement, is also noteworthy. His ideas inspired the development of new towns such as Letchworth and Welwyn Garden City, which aimed to combine the benefits of urban and rural living.

While the surname "Ebenezer" is not as common as some other biblical names, it has left a lasting mark on history through its religious and literary connections, as well as the contributions of individuals who have borne this name throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ebenezer

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

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

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

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