2000
#6,800
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,566
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.69
Rare Last name
Edmonson
Son of Edmond, a diminutive form of the given name Edmund, meaning "wealthy protector."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,005 Americans carry the last name Edmonson. That puts it at #7,365 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.46 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 68,482 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Edmonson 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 Edmonson with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.0K
1 in 68,482
Census rank
#7,365
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,365 bearers of the surname Edmonson in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.46 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7365th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Edmonson, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.9%. The next largest groups are Black (25.6%) and Two or More Races (4.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Edmonson
The surname Edmonson has its roots in England, originating from the Old English personal name "Eadmund" or "Edmund." This name was composed of the elements "ead," meaning "prosperity" or "fortune," and "mund," meaning "protector." The name would have been given to someone whose role was to protect or guard prosperity.
Edmonson likely derived from a patronymic form, indicating "son of Edmund." The earliest recorded spelling of the name dates back to the late 12th century, appearing as "Edmundessone" in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1197. Over time, the name evolved into various spellings, including Edmondson, Edmunson, and Edmonson.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Edmundus." This document was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror, providing valuable insight into the English population at the time.
The name Edmonson has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such person was Sir Thomas Edmonson (1563-1639), an English diplomat and civil servant who served as the Clerk of the Privy Council under Queen Elizabeth I and King James I.
Another prominent figure was John Edmonson (1771-1840), an American Baptist minister and educator who founded the Augusta Seminary in Kentucky, one of the earliest institutions of higher learning in the state.
Henry Edmonson (1826-1890) was a British architect who designed several notable buildings in Manchester, including the Manchester Town Hall and the Assize Courts.
Robert Edmonson (1805-1867) was an American painter and sculptor who gained recognition for his unique style of portrait sculptures carved from limestone. He was one of the few African American artists of his time to achieve significant success.
Lastly, Matilda Edmonson (1834-1923) was a British philanthropist and social reformer known for her work in improving the living conditions of the poor in Edinburgh, Scotland.
These examples illustrate the widespread presence of the Edmonson surname across various fields and regions, showcasing its rich historical significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Edmonson
Among Census respondents with the surname Edmonson, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.9%. The next largest groups are Black (25.6%) and Two or More Races (4.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Edmonson 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 Edmonson surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White65.9% · 2,875
- Black or African American25.6% · 1,117
- Two or more races4.9% · 212
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 111
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 38
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 12
Timeline
Historical Census data for Edmonson
Edmonson 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
#7,207
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,631
+65 bearers (+1.4%)
Per 100,000 1.57
Rank movement Down 407 places
2020
#7,365
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,365
-266 bearers (-5.7%)
Per 100,000 1.46
Rank movement Down 158 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,800 | 4,566 | 1.69 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,207 | 4,631 | 1.57 | +65 bearers (+1.4%) | Down 407 places |
| 2020 | #7,365 | 4,365 | 1.46 | -266 bearers (-5.7%) | Down 158 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 Edmonson 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 | #7,207 | #7,365 | -2.2% |
| Count | 4,631 | 4,365 | -5.7% |
| Per 100K | 1.57 | 1.46 | -7.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Edmonson bearers went from 4,631 to 4,365 (-5.7% change). The surname moved down 158 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,207 to #7,365.
FAQ
Edmonson surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Edmonson?
Name Census estimates that about 5,005 living Americans carry the surname Edmonson. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 68,482 residents.
How common is Edmonson?
Edmonson ranks #7,365 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.46 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,365 people with the surname Edmonson. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,005), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.46 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.46 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Edmonson.
Has Edmonson become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Edmonson went from 4,631 recorded bearers to 4,365. That is a decrease of 266 (-5.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,207 to #7,365.
What does the Census say about the background of Edmonson?
Among Census respondents with the surname Edmonson, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.9%. The next largest groups are Black (25.6%) and Two or More Races (4.9%). 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 Edmonson in the 2020 Census, accounting for 65.9% (2,875 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Edmonson appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (65.9%), Black (25.6%), Two or More Races (4.9%). 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 Edmonson (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 Edmonson mean?
Son of Edmond, a diminutive form of the given name Edmund, meaning "wealthy protector." 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 Edmonson (1.46 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 have the last name Edmonson?
You can see how common the surname Edmonson is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.