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

Embrey, 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 Embrey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Embrey in America

Embrey is the 8894th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Embrey surname appeared 3,681 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Embrey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Embrey 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 Embrey

The surname Embrey has its origins in England, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the village of Embrough, located in the county of Somerset. The name is thought to come from the Old English words "emme" meaning "ant" and "burgh" meaning "fortified place," suggesting a connection to an ant-hill or an ant-infested location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where it is spelled as "Emmeburgh." This historical document, also known as the Rotuli Hundredorum, was a survey of landholdings conducted during the reign of King Edward I.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in the records of the Subsidy Rolls for the county of Somerset, where it was listed as "de Emmeburgh." This variation of the name indicates that it was originally a place name, with the prefix "de" meaning "of" or "from."

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings in England compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror, does not contain any direct references to the name Embrey. However, it does mention the village of Embrough, which was likely the origin of the surname.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Embrey was John Embrey, who was born in Gloucester, England, around 1520. He was a prominent merchant and landowner during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another notable figure was Sir William Embrey (1583-1652), a member of the English gentry and a supporter of the Parliamentarian cause during the English Civil War. He was known for his involvement in the defense of the city of Gloucester against the Royalist forces.

In the 18th century, the name Embrey was associated with the village of Amberley, located in the county of Gloucestershire. This may have influenced the spelling variation "Amberley" or "Amberley-Embrey," which was used by some families.

During the 19th century, James Embrey (1821-1892), a British engineer and inventor, gained recognition for his contributions to the development of early steam engines and locomotives.

Another notable individual was Elizabeth Embrey (1861-1934), a British suffragette and activist who campaigned for women's rights and played a significant role in the women's suffrage movement in the United Kingdom.

Throughout its history, the surname Embrey has maintained a strong presence in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire, where it is believed to have originated.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Embrey

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!