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

Idlebird, 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 Idlebird surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Idlebird in America

Idlebird is the 88336th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Idlebird surname appeared 210 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 Idlebird.

We can also compare 2010 data for Idlebird 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 Idlebird

The surname IDLEBIRD has its origins in England, first appearing in records dating back to the early 14th century. It is believed to have been derived from the Middle English words "idel" meaning lazy or idle, and "bird," referring to the winged creature. This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone perceived as being indolent or inactive, akin to a bird perching idly.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Oxfordshire Hundred Rolls of 1279, where a John Idlebird is mentioned as a resident of the village of Bampton. The surname also appears in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire from 1315, listing a Richard Idilbrid as a tenant.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the name was primarily concentrated in the southern counties of England, particularly in Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Hampshire. Variations in spelling were common, with forms such as Idlebirde, Idelbyrd, and Idylbyrde appearing in various documents from that period.

A notable early bearer of the IDLEBIRD name was Sir Thomas Idlebird, a member of the gentry from Berkshire who was knighted in 1415 for his service in the Hundred Years' War against France. He is recorded as having fought alongside King Henry V at the Battle of Agincourt.

In the 16th century, the surname was also found in London, with records showing an Edward Idlebird being admitted to the Company of Merchant Taylors in 1572. Another individual of note was William Idlebird, a prominent merchant and alderman in the City of London who served as Sheriff in 1588.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a Captain John Idlebird is mentioned as having commanded a company of foot soldiers in the Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell. He was present at the decisive Battle of Naseby in 1645.

As the centuries progressed, the IDLEBIRD name continued to be found throughout various parts of England, with some bearers migrating to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to the American colonies in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Idlebird

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

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

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

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