2000
#146,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Escort
A surname indicating the bearer provided accompaniment or guidance.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 112 Americans carry the last name Escort. That puts it at #156,269 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,060,307 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Escort surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
112
1 in 3,060,307
Census rank
#156,269
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
98
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 98 bearers of the surname Escort in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156269th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Escort, the largest self-reported group is Black at 87.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.1%) and Hispanic (5.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Escort
The surname "ESCORT" is believed to have originated from the Old French word "escorte," which means "to accompany" or "to guide." The name likely came into existence during the Middle Ages in France, where it was initially used to refer to individuals who provided protective escort services or accompanied travelers on their journeys.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname "ESCORT" can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of France, particularly in the northern regions. It is believed that the name may have been derived from the occupation of those who provided escort services or acted as guides for travelers, merchants, or nobles during a time when travel was often perilous.
In the 14th century, the surname "ESCORT" appeared in several records and documents related to the court of the French monarchy. One notable individual bearing this name was Jacques ESCORT, who served as a personal escort to King Charles VI of France during his reign from 1380 to 1422.
As the surname "ESCORT" spread across Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as "Escorte," "Escorter," and "Escortier." These variations were common during the Middle Ages due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.
In England, the surname "ESCORT" was adopted by individuals who likely had French ancestry or were associated with the escort or guiding profession. One prominent figure with this surname was Sir Richard ESCORT (1524-1589), an English nobleman and military commander who served under Queen Elizabeth I.
Another notable individual was Jean-Baptiste ESCORT (1671-1734), a French explorer and cartographer who accompanied several expeditions to North America and mapped the Mississippi River basin. His contributions to the exploration of the New World earned him recognition and helped establish the ESCORT name in the annals of history.
During the Renaissance period, the surname "ESCORT" gained further prominence in Italy, where it was sometimes spelled as "Escorte" or "Escortia." One notable bearer of this name was Leonardo ESCORT (1492-1556), a renowned Italian artist and sculptor whose works adorned various churches and palaces across Italy.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, the surname "ESCORT" spread to other parts of Europe, including Germany and the Low Countries. One notable figure from this period was Johann ESCORT (1693-1767), a German composer and organist who made significant contributions to the development of baroque music.
Throughout its history, the surname "ESCORT" has been associated with individuals who provided guidance, protection, and assistance to others, reflecting the original meaning of the French word "escorte." While the name may have evolved over time, it remains a testament to the important role escorts and guides played in facilitating travel and ensuring safety throughout various eras of human history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Escort
Among Census respondents with the surname Escort, the largest self-reported group is Black at 87.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.1%) and Hispanic (5.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Escort bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Escort surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American87.8% · 86
- Two or more races7.1% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino5.1% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Escort
Escort appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+5 bearers (+4.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,441 places
2020
#156,269
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 98
-11 bearers (-10.1%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 5,817 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #146,011 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.8%) | Down 4,441 places |
| 2020 | #156,269 | 98 | 0.03 | -11 bearers (-10.1%) | Down 5,817 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Escort surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #150,452 | #156,269 | -3.9% |
| Count | 109 | 98 | -10.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -18.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Escort bearers went from 109 to 98 (-10.1% change). The surname moved down 5,817 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #156,269.
FAQ
Escort surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Escort?
Name Census estimates that about 112 living Americans carry the surname Escort. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,060,307 residents.
How common is Escort?
Escort ranks #156,269 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 98 people with the surname Escort. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (112), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Escort.
Has Escort become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Escort went from 109 recorded bearers to 98. That is a decrease of 11 (-10.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #150,452 to #156,269.
What does the Census say about the background of Escort?
Among Census respondents with the surname Escort, the largest self-reported group is Black at 87.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.1%) and Hispanic (5.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Escort in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.8% (86 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Escort appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (87.8%), Two or More Races (7.1%), Hispanic (5.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Escort (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Escort mean?
A surname indicating the bearer provided accompaniment or guidance. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Escort (0.03 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Escort?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.