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

Emmett, 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 Emmett surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Emmett in America

Emmett is the 9030th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Emmett surname appeared 3,619 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 Emmett.

We can also compare 2010 data for Emmett 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 Emmett

The surname Emmett has its roots in the Old German personal name Emmet or Emmerich, which arose from the Germanic roots "amal" meaning "vigor" or "bravery" and "ric" meaning "power" or "ruler." It was common for early surnames to derive from personal names, often reflecting qualities or attributes. The name likely entered England with the Norman Conquest in 1066.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Emmett appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where an individual named Emmerich is listed as a landholder in Berkshire. This suggests the name had already become established in certain regions of England by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name was frequently spelled in various ways, including Emett, Emmett, Emmat, and Emmot, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spellings at the time. Some instances of these spellings can be found in medieval records and charters from counties like Lancashire and Yorkshire.

The Emmett surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Emmett's Grange in Suffolk and Emmett's Farm in Dorset, indicating that some individuals may have adopted the name based on their connection to these locations.

One notable figure with the surname Emmett was Robert Emmett (1778-1803), an Irish republican and revolutionary who led an uprising against British rule in 1803. Despite its failure, his actions earned him a place in Irish history and folklore.

In the 19th century, the Emmett surname gained further recognition with the abolitionist and women's rights advocate Daniel Emmett (1815-1904), who is credited with composing the iconic song "Dixie" in 1859.

Other historical figures with the surname Emmett include the English botanist Thomas Emmett (1639-1693), known for his contributions to the study of plants, and the American architect and designer Thomas Addis Emmett (1828-1919), who designed several notable buildings in New York City.

The surname Emmett has also been associated with literary figures, such as the American writer and editor Christopher Emmett (1900-1983), who co-founded the influential literary magazine "Story" in the 1930s.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Emmett

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

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

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

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