2000
#12,292
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,320
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.86
Rare Last name
Imes
Derived from the medieval personal name Imme, a short form of Germanic names beginning with irm(in) meaning "entire."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,711 Americans carry the last name Imes. That puts it at #12,517 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.79 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 126,431 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Imes 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
2.7K
1 in 126,431
Census rank
#12,517
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,364 bearers of the surname Imes in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.79 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12517th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Imes, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.4%. The next largest groups are Black (19.5%) and Two or More Races (4.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Imes
The surname IMES has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "imes," which means "edges" or "borders." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near the edge of a town or village.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname IMES can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where it is spelled "Imes." This document was a survey of landholdings in England, providing valuable insight into the distribution of surnames during that time.
In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Imis" and "Ymes," reflecting the variations in spelling that were common in that era. Some historical records suggest that the name may have been associated with places like Eames in Shropshire or Ems in Somerset.
One notable figure bearing the IMES surname was John Imes, a prominent merchant and landowner who lived in Gloucestershire in the late 15th century. Records show that he owned several properties in the region and was involved in the wool trade.
Another individual of note was William Imes, born in 1612 in Staffordshire. He was a scholar and author who wrote several treatises on theology and philosophy during the 17th century.
In the 18th century, the IMES surname gained prominence with the birth of Richard Imes (1723-1798), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Yorkshire. He made significant contributions to the development of his local community and was known for his charitable endeavors.
The 19th century saw the rise of Elizabeth Imes (1837-1912), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded several schools and worked tirelessly to promote equal educational opportunities for girls and women.
Another notable figure was Sir William Imes (1862-1944), a distinguished military officer who served in the British Army during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was awarded numerous honors for his service, including the Distinguished Service Order.
While the IMES surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and settlement. However, the historical records and notable figures mentioned above provide valuable insights into the origins and evolution of this surname over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Imes
Among Census respondents with the surname Imes, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.4%. The next largest groups are Black (19.5%) and Two or More Races (4.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Imes 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 Imes surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White71.4% · 1,688
- Black or African American19.5% · 460
- Two or more races4.9% · 115
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 67
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 23
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 11
Timeline
Historical Census data for Imes
Imes 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
#12,642
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,448
+128 bearers (+5.5%)
Per 100,000 0.83
Rank movement Down 350 places
2020
#12,517
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,364
-84 bearers (-3.4%)
Per 100,000 0.79
Rank movement Up 125 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,292 | 2,320 | 0.86 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,642 | 2,448 | 0.83 | +128 bearers (+5.5%) | Down 350 places |
| 2020 | #12,517 | 2,364 | 0.79 | -84 bearers (-3.4%) | Up 125 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 Imes 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 | #12,642 | #12,517 | 1.0% |
| Count | 2,448 | 2,364 | -3.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.83 | 0.79 | -4.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Imes bearers went from 2,448 to 2,364 (-3.4% change). The surname moved up 125 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,642 to #12,517.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Imes
FAQ
Imes surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Imes?
Name Census estimates that about 2,711 living Americans carry the surname Imes. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 126,431 residents.
How common is Imes?
Imes ranks #12,517 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.79 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,364 people with the surname Imes. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,711), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.79 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.79 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Imes.
Has Imes become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Imes went from 2,448 recorded bearers to 2,364. That is a decrease of 84 (-3.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #12,642 to #12,517.
What does the Census say about the background of Imes?
Among Census respondents with the surname Imes, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.4%. The next largest groups are Black (19.5%) and Two or More Races (4.9%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Imes in the 2020 Census, accounting for 71.4% (1,688 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Imes appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (71.4%), Black (19.5%), Two or More Races (4.9%). 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 Imes (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 Imes mean?
Derived from the medieval personal name Imme, a short form of Germanic names beginning with irm(in) meaning "entire." 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 Imes (0.79 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 have the surname Imes?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.