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

Ey, 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 Ey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ey in America

Ey is the 50564th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ey surname appeared 413 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 Ey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ey 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 Ey

The surname "Ey" is of German origin, emerging in the 14th century in the region of Westphalia, located in what is now northwestern Germany. It is derived from the Old German word "eg," meaning "oak" or "oak tree," suggesting that the name may have been initially bestowed upon someone who lived near or owned land with a prominent oak tree or oak forest.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hirsauer Codex, a medieval manuscript from the 11th century, which mentions an individual named "Eggo de Ey" from the village of Ey, near the town of Bocholt in Westphalia. This village likely took its name from the oak trees that once populated the area.

In the 15th century, the name appears in various legal documents and records, such as the Schoeffenbuch von Iserlohn, which lists several individuals with the surname Ey residing in the town of Iserlohn, also in Westphalia. Among them was Johannes Ey, a prominent merchant and landowner born around 1420.

As people began migrating from Westphalia to other parts of Germany and Europe, the name spread to different regions. One notable figure was Konrad Ey, a German painter and engraver born in Nuremberg in 1481, known for his intricate woodcut illustrations in religious texts and works by Martin Luther.

During the 17th century, the name made its way across the Atlantic to the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances was that of Hans Ey, a German immigrant who settled in Pennsylvania in the 1660s and established a successful farming community near what is now known as Eyers Grove.

Another prominent individual with the surname Ey was Friedrich Wilhelm Ey, a German-American composer and musician born in Hesse in 1800. He emigrated to the United States in the 1840s and became a renowned music teacher and conductor, contributing significantly to the cultural life of Philadelphia.

Throughout its history, the surname Ey has maintained its connection to its German roots, with various spellings such as Eie, Eije, and Eyen appearing in various regions and time periods. While not a particularly common surname, it has left its mark on the cultural and historical landscape of both Germany and the United States.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ey

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

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

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

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