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

Idris, 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 Idris surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Idris in America

Idris is the 25601st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Idris surname appeared 964 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 Idris.

We can also compare 2010 data for Idris 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 Idris

The surname Idris has its origins in Wales, dating back to the 6th century CE. It is derived from the Welsh name Idris, which itself is believed to come from the Old British name Idrys, meaning "ardent lord" or "fiery lord."

The earliest recorded use of the name Idris can be found in the writings of the medieval Welsh chronicler, Nennius, who mentions a prince named Idris Gawr (Idris the Giant) in his work, Historia Brittonum, written around 830 CE.

In the 13th century, the name appears in the Black Book of St. Davids, one of the earliest surviving manuscripts in the Welsh language, where it is spelled as "Ydris." This spelling variation highlights the fluidity of names during that period.

The surname Idris is closely associated with the Idris mountain range in Snowdonia National Park, Wales. It is said that the range was named after the aforementioned Prince Idris Gawr, who is believed to have lived in the area.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Idris was Ieuan Idris (c. 1510-1580), a Welsh poet and clergyman who served as the Rector of Llanymynech in Shropshire, England.

Another notable figure was Rhys Idris (c. 1570-1640), a Welsh lawyer and member of the House of Commons of England, who represented the borough of Caernarfon in the early 17th century.

In the 18th century, Evan Idris (1718-1785), a Welsh Anglican clergyman and author, made significant contributions to the study of Welsh history and literature through his writings.

The 19th century saw the rise of Sir William Idris (1811-1887), a Welsh industrialist and philanthropist who played a crucial role in the development of the steel industry in South Wales.

Lastly, one cannot overlook the influence of Idris Davies (1905-1953), a renowned Welsh poet and writer whose works explored themes of industrial life and the working class experience in Wales.

While the surname Idris may not be among the most common Welsh surnames today, it holds a rich historical significance, deeply rooted in the culture and traditions of Wales, and has produced several notable figures throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Idris

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

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

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

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