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

Innis, 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 Innis surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Innis in America

Innis is the 14724th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Innis surname appeared 2,018 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Innis.

We can also compare 2010 data for Innis 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 Innis

The surname INNIS is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "innis," meaning island or meadow. It is believed to have originated in the Hebrides Islands, off the western coast of Scotland, where many families with this name resided.

The earliest recorded instance of the INNIS surname dates back to the 13th century, when a Robert de Innis was mentioned in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1264. This suggests that the name was in use by the mid-13th century, possibly referring to a family residing on an island or meadow in the Hebrides.

In the 16th century, the INNIS name appeared in the records of the Clan Mackenzie, a powerful Scottish clan based in Ross-shire. The Innises were a sept, or branch, of the Clan Mackenzie, and they were known for their allegiance and service to the clan chiefs.

One notable figure in Scottish history bearing the INNIS surname was Robert Innis (c. 1570-1644), a Scottish minister and scholar. He served as the minister of the parish of Dornoch and was renowned for his theological writings and contributions to the Church of Scotland.

Another historical figure was John Innis (1768-1847), a Scottish-born merchant and entrepreneur who settled in Canada. He played a significant role in the development of the fur trade and the establishment of the Hudson's Bay Company's operations in western Canada.

In the United States, the INNIS surname can be traced back to the 18th century, when Scottish immigrants began arriving in the American colonies. One notable American with this surname was George Innis (1752-1833), a Revolutionary War soldier who fought in several major battles, including the Battle of Saratoga.

The INNIS surname has also been associated with various place names, particularly in Scotland. For example, Innis House, a historic manor house in Elgin, Scotland, and Innishowen, a peninsula in County Donegal, Ireland, both derive their names from the Gaelic word "innis."

Throughout history, the INNIS surname has been spelled in various ways, including Innes, Inniss, and Inneys, reflecting regional variations and cultural influences. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remain rooted in the Scottish Gaelic language and the geographical features of the Hebrides Islands.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Innis

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

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

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

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