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

Engineer, 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 Engineer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Engineer in America

Engineer is the 58337th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Engineer surname appeared 348 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 Engineer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Engineer 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 Engineer

The surname ENGINEER has its roots in medieval France, where it first emerged in the 12th century. Originally derived from the Old French word "engigneor," which meant "one who constructs military engines or devices," the name was associated with skilled tradesmen and craftsmen who designed and built siege weapons, catapults, and other war machines.

During the Crusades, engineers played a crucial role in the construction of fortifications and the development of new siege technologies. As the demand for their expertise grew, these skilled individuals began to take on the occupational surname ENGINEER, which later evolved into its modern spelling.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname ENGINEER can be found in the records of the Abbey of St. Denis near Paris, where a certain Guillelmus Ingeniator (William the Engineer) was mentioned in 1209. This individual was likely involved in the construction or maintenance of the abbey's buildings and defenses.

In England, the surname ENGINEER first appeared in the 13th century, likely brought by Norman settlers and skilled workers who accompanied William the Conqueror during the Norman Conquest. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 mention a John le Engynour from Oxfordshire, demonstrating the surname's early presence in English records.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the ENGINEER surname was closely associated with the construction of castles, fortifications, and military architecture. Notable individuals bearing this surname include:

1. Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-1859), a renowned British civil engineer who designed and built numerous groundbreaking structures, including the Great Western Railway and the SS Great Britain steamship.

2. Sir John Rennie (1761-1821), a Scottish civil engineer known for his work on the Waterloo Bridge and the Southwark Bridge over the River Thames in London.

3. Thomas Telford (1757-1834), a celebrated Scottish engineer who designed numerous roads, bridges, and canals, including the Menai Suspension Bridge and the Caledonian Canal.

4. James Nasmyth (1808-1890), a Scottish engineer and inventor best known for his contributions to the development of the steam hammer and his work on machine tools.

5. Gustave Eiffel (1832-1923), the French civil engineer and architect renowned for designing and constructing the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris.

While the ENGINEER surname initially referred to those involved in military engineering and fortifications, it gradually expanded to encompass civil engineers, architects, and professionals in various branches of engineering as the field evolved and diversified over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Engineer

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

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

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

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