2000
#132,259
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Iszard
A possibly deformed or anglicized version of the French surname Izard or Ysard, meaning a mountain goat or chamois.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Iszard. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Iszard 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Iszard in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Iszard, the largest self-reported group is Black at 62.2%. The next largest groups are White (29.4%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Iszard
The surname ISZARD is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, specifically in the counties of Wiltshire and Somerset. It is likely derived from the Old English word "isiard," which referred to someone who lived in a cold or icy region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Isard." This entry suggests that individuals bearing this surname may have lived in areas prone to harsh winters or near glaciers.
During the 13th century, the name evolved into various spellings, such as "Isierd," "Isyerd," and "Iszard." These variations reflect the fluid nature of surname spellings in those times, as well as regional dialects and scribal interpretations.
Notable individuals bearing the ISZARD surname include Sir Robert Iszard (c. 1280-1349), a prominent landowner and knight who fought in the Scottish Wars of Independence. Another early record is that of William Iszard (c. 1320-1385), a merchant from Bristol who established trade routes with the Hanseatic League.
In the 15th century, the name appears to have spread to other parts of England, as evidenced by the records of John Iszard (c. 1420-1491), a lawyer from Lancashire who served as a magistrate under King Henry VI.
During the Tudor period, the ISZARD surname gained further prominence with the rise of Thomas Iszard (c. 1520-1589), a successful wool merchant and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Salisbury during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
Another notable figure was Elizabeth Iszard (c. 1550-1625), a wealthy landowner from Somerset who was known for her philanthropic efforts and support of local churches and schools.
As the centuries progressed, the ISZARD surname continued to be found in various parts of England, with several individuals achieving notable positions in society, such as Sir Edward Iszard (1670-1735), a distinguished military officer who served in the War of the Spanish Succession.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Iszard
Among Census respondents with the surname Iszard, the largest self-reported group is Black at 62.2%. The next largest groups are White (29.4%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Iszard 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 Iszard surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American62.2% · 74
- White29.4% · 35
- Two or more races3.4% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.5% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Iszard
Iszard 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
#127,494
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 134
+16 bearers (+13.6%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 4,765 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
-15 bearers (-11.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,294 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #132,259 | 118 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #127,494 | 134 | 0.05 | +16 bearers (+13.6%) | Up 4,765 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | -15 bearers (-11.2%) | Down 15,294 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 Iszard 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 | #127,494 | #142,788 | -12.0% |
| Count | 134 | 119 | -11.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -20.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Iszard bearers went from 134 to 119 (-11.2% change). The surname moved down 15,294 positions in the national ranking, going from #127,494 to #142,788.
FAQ
Iszard surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Iszard?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Iszard. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Iszard?
Iszard ranks #142,788 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 119 people with the surname Iszard. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Iszard.
Has Iszard become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Iszard went from 134 recorded bearers to 119. That is a decrease of 15 (-11.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #127,494 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Iszard?
Among Census respondents with the surname Iszard, the largest self-reported group is Black at 62.2%. The next largest groups are White (29.4%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Iszard in the 2020 Census, accounting for 62.2% (74 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Iszard appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (62.2%), White (29.4%), Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Iszard (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 Iszard mean?
A possibly deformed or anglicized version of the French surname Izard or Ysard, meaning a mountain goat or chamois. 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 Iszard (0.04 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 common is the surname Iszard?
Want to know how many people are called Iszard? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.