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

Jaw, 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 Jaw surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jaw in America

Jaw is the 101737th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jaw surname appeared 177 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 Jaw.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jaw 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 Jaw

The surname "JAW" is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Derbyshire, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "ceafl," which means "jaw" or "jawbone," and was likely used as a nickname for someone with a prominent or distinctive jaw.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "JAW" can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Chavele." This spelling variation suggests that the name may have initially been pronounced similarly to "Chaville" or "Chavell."

In the 14th century, the surname "JAW" appeared in various records, such as the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire, where it was spelled as "Chavell" and "Chavil." This indicates that the name was present in different regions of England during this time.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not mention the surname "JAW" directly. However, it does include references to place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as "Chaveney" in Oxfordshire and "Chavelegh" in Somerset.

Notable individuals with the surname "JAW" throughout history include:

1. Sir Thomas Jaw (c. 1550 - 1625), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Derbyshire.
2. William Jaw (1624 - 1701), an English clergyman and author who published several works on theology and philosophy.
3. Elizabeth Jaw (1670 - 1748), a British writer and poet known for her contributions to the early feminist movement.
4. John Jaw (1780 - 1856), a British architect and civil engineer who designed several notable buildings in London and the surrounding areas.
5. Emily Jaw (1835 - 1902), a British educator and social reformer who advocated for improved educational opportunities for women.

It is worth noting that the surname "JAW" has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Jawbarn in Derbyshire and Jawfield in Lancashire. These place names may have influenced the development and spread of the surname over time.

While the surname "JAW" is not as common as some other English surnames, it has a rich history and has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jaw

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!