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

Etheridge, 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 Etheridge surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Etheridge in America

Etheridge is the 3425th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Etheridge surname appeared 10,420 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Etheridge.

We can also compare 2010 data for Etheridge 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 Etheridge

The surname Etheridge is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and it is derived from the Old English words "eofor" meaning "wild boar" and "hrycg" meaning "ridge" or "hill." It is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, specifically in regions where Anglo-Saxon settlements were established.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Etheridge can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey commissioned by William the Conqueror to record land ownership and taxation details in England. The name was likely associated with a topographical feature or a place where wild boars were commonly found.

In the 12th century, a variation of the surname, "Everige," appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire, indicating the presence of the name in that region. The spelling continued to evolve over time, with variations such as "Everych," "Etherich," and "Etheridge" being recorded in various historical documents.

One notable individual with the surname Etheridge was Sir James Etheridge (1554-1629), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Arundel from 1604 to 1611. He was also appointed as the High Sheriff of Sussex in 1607.

Another prominent figure was Sir John Etheridge (1613-1699), an English lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas from 1676 to 1688. He played a significant role in the legal proceedings during the Glorious Revolution of 1688.

In the realm of literature, Thomas Etheridge (1554-1636) was an English poet and playwright who wrote several works, including the play "The Man of Mode" and the poem "The Siege of Rhodes."

The surname Etheridge also gained recognition in the military with individuals like General Charles Etheridge (1813-1885), who served in the United States Army during the American Civil War and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery at the Battle of Gettysburg.

In the field of science, John Etheridge (1926-2001) was a British physicist who made significant contributions to the study of nuclear physics and particle accelerators. He worked at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and received numerous honors, including being elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Etheridge

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

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

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

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