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

Emma, 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 Emma surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Emma in America

Emma is the 22592nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Emma surname appeared 1,137 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 Emma.

We can also compare 2010 data for Emma 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 Emma

The surname Emma has its origins in England and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word 'eme', which means 'uncle' or 'relative'. The name was likely used as a nickname or descriptive term for someone who had a close relative or who was considered a relative in some way.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Emma can be found in the Domesday Book, a detailed survey of land and property conducted in 1086 on the orders of William the Conqueror. The name is listed as 'Eme' and 'Emme', suggesting that the spelling had not yet been standardized.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname Emma began to appear more frequently in various records and documents across England. It was often associated with specific regions or localities, leading to variations in spelling such as 'Emme', 'Emmys', and 'Emmys'.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Emma in history include Sir John Emma, a member of the English gentry who lived in the 15th century and owned land in Oxfordshire. Another prominent figure was Richard Emma, a merchant and alderman in the city of London during the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the name Emma was associated with several place names in England, such as Emma Green in Surrey and Emma Hill in Wiltshire. These place names likely derived from individuals or families who lived in those areas and bore the surname Emma.

Other notable individuals with the surname Emma include Thomas Emma, a farmer and landowner who lived in Gloucestershire in the late 18th century, and William Emma, a prominent lawyer and judge who served in the English court system during the early 19th century, born in 1785 and died in 1857.

By the 19th century, the surname Emma had become well-established across various regions of England, with families bearing the name found in counties such as Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Buckinghamshire. Despite its widespread use, the name maintained a strong connection to its English roots and remained relatively uncommon outside of the country.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Emma

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

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

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

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