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

English, 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 English surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of English in America

English is the 748th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The English surname appeared 46,393 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 16 people would have the surname English.

We can also compare 2010 data for English 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 English

The surname ENGLISH originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period. It was initially derived from the Old English word "Englisc," which referred to the Angles, a Germanic tribe that settled in central, eastern, and northern parts of what is now England. The name likely emerged as a descriptive term for someone who was of English descent or spoke the English language.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname ENGLISH can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners and property across much of England and parts of Wales. The name appeared in various spellings, such as "Englis" and "Englys," reflecting the linguistic variations of the time.

In the 13th century, the surname ENGLISH is documented in various historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which listed individuals by name for taxation purposes. One notable bearer of the name during this period was John English, a landowner in Cambridgeshire mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1292.

During the 14th century, the surname ENGLISH continued to be found in various records across England. For instance, the Poll Tax of Yorkshire in 1379 listed several individuals with the surname, including William English and John English.

In the 15th century, the ENGLISH surname appeared in the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence between members of the Paston family from Norfolk. One letter, dated 1448, mentioned a man named Thomas English, who was involved in a legal dispute.

In the 16th century, the surname ENGLISH gained prominence with notable figures such as John English (1512-1592), a Catholic priest and martyr who was executed during the reign of Elizabeth I for his religious beliefs.

Other historical bearers of the ENGLISH surname include:

1. Thomas English (1615-1691), an English Puritan minister and author.
2. William English (1621-1677), an English politician who served as a member of parliament during the English Civil War.
3. John English (1787-1858), an English botanist and horticulturist known for his work on the cultivation of exotic plants.
4. Beatrice English (1857-1944), an English actress and singer who performed in various theatrical productions during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The surname ENGLISH has its roots in the early days of England and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life throughout history, including religious figures, politicians, scholars, and artists.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name English

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

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

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

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