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

Isaacs, 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 Isaacs surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Isaacs in America

Isaacs is the 85659th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Isaacs surname appeared 218 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 Isaacs.

We can also compare 2010 data for Isaacs 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 Isaacs

The surname Issacs has its origins in medieval England, deriving from the ancient Hebrew personal name "Yitzchak," which means "he will laugh" or "he laughs." This name was borne by the biblical patriarch Isaac, the son of Abraham and Sarah. The surname is believed to have emerged in the 12th or 13th century as a way to distinguish Jewish families in England.

During the Middle Ages, the Jewish community in England faced considerable persecution and discrimination. The use of distinctive surnames like Issacs helped to identify and segregate Jewish families from the broader Christian population. The earliest recorded instances of the surname Issacs can be found in various medieval tax rolls and legal documents.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Rabbi Jacob ben Issac of Oxford, who lived in the late 12th century and was a prominent scholar and leader of the Jewish community in England. Another notable figure was Haym Issacs, a 17th-century financier and broker who played a crucial role in financing the American Revolutionary War.

The surname Issacs also has connections to various place names in England. For instance, the town of Issac's Green in Essex was once known as "Issac's Greene," possibly named after an early inhabitant with the surname. Similarly, the village of Issacstown in County Westmeath, Ireland, derived its name from the presence of a family with the Issacs surname.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Issacs. These include:

1. Sir Rufus Issacs (1860-1937), a British lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales.
2. Godfrey Issacs (1618-1655), an English merchant and one of the founders of the East India Company.
3. Judith Issacs (1625-1695), a Jewish-British author and poet known for her work on religious themes.
4. Jeremy Issacs (1932-2022), a British television producer and executive, known for his work on documentaries and historical series.
5. Quincy Issacs (1915-1999), an American writer and journalist, best known for his work on civil rights and social justice issues.

While the surname Issacs has its roots in the Jewish community, it has since become more widely adopted by individuals of various backgrounds, reflecting the diverse cultural tapestry of modern societies.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Isaacs

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

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

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

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