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

Isby, 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 Isby surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Isby in America

Isby is the 63698th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Isby surname appeared 313 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 Isby.

We can also compare 2010 data for Isby 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 Isby

The surname ISBY has its origins in the Old English language, derived from the words "isig" meaning "ice" and "byrig" meaning "town" or "settlement". This suggests that the name likely originated in an area where ice or icy conditions were a prominent feature, perhaps in the northern regions of England or Scotland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a landowner named Isbyri is mentioned as holding estates in the county of Yorkshire. This suggests that the name had already established itself in the region by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, variations of the name such as Isbiry, Isberie, and Isbyrie appeared in various records and documents across the northern counties of England. It is believed that these variations evolved from the original Old English spelling due to regional dialects and the influence of Norman scribes.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named John Isby (c.1320-1390) was recorded as a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of York. His descendants continued to use the surname, and by the 16th century, it had spread to other parts of England, including Lancashire and Lincolnshire.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir William Isby (1590-1662), a Member of Parliament during the English Civil War and a staunch supporter of the Parliamentarian cause. He played a significant role in the siege of York in 1644 and was later appointed as a judge during the Commonwealth period.

In the 18th century, the name Isby can be traced to the village of Isby in Cumbria, which was likely named after an early settler bearing the surname. This suggests that the name may have originated in this region and later spread to other parts of England.

Other notable individuals with the surname ISBY include:

1. Robert Isby (1705-1778), a prominent farmer and landowner in Yorkshire.
2. Elizabeth Isby (1765-1842), a renowned author and poet from Lancashire.
3. Thomas Isby (1810-1885), a successful industrialist and philanthropist from Lincolnshire.
4. Margaret Isby (1845-1922), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's education in Yorkshire.
5. Alfred Isby (1870-1948), a celebrated artist and painter from Cumbria.

The surname ISBY, with its rich history and varied spellings, has endured as a testament to the resilience of English surnames and their ability to reflect the unique stories and experiences of those who bore them.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Isby

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

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

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

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