2000
#7,360
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,172
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.55
Rare Last name
Jeffcoat
A surname derived from a nickname for a person who wore a jacket or coat made of a thick material.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,738 Americans carry the last name Jeffcoat. That puts it at #7,723 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.38 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 72,342 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Jeffcoat 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Jeffcoat with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.7K
1 in 72,342
Census rank
#7,723
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,132 bearers of the surname Jeffcoat in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.38 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7723rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Jeffcoat, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.9%. The next largest groups are Black (14.5%) and Two or More Races (4.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Jeffcoat
The surname JEFFCOAT is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 14th century. It is believed to have originated from a combination of the personal name "Jeff" and the occupational term "coat," referring to a coat maker or tailor.
The earliest known record of the JEFFCOAT surname can be traced back to the county of Lancashire in northern England. The name was likely derived from the Old English words "geof" meaning "gift" and "cot" meaning "cottage" or "small dwelling." This suggests that the original bearer of the name may have lived in a small dwelling and been associated with the trade of tailoring or coat-making.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the JEFFCOAT surname appears in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire in 1332, where a John Jeffcot is listed as a taxpayer. This document provides evidence of the name's existence and its association with the Lancashire region during the Middle Ages.
In the 16th century, the JEFFCOAT name was documented in the parish records of Wigan, Lancashire, where several families with this surname were recorded. One notable figure from this era was William Jeffcoat (1540-1616), a prominent merchant and landowner in the town of Wigan.
As the JEFFCOAT surname spread across England in the following centuries, it underwent various spelling variations, including Jeffcott, Jeffcote, and Jeffcoats. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the individual preferences of scribes and record keepers.
In the 18th century, a notable bearer of the JEFFCOAT name was James Jeffcoat (1720-1793), a successful businessman and landowner in the city of Bristol. His wealth and influence were substantial, and he was known for his philanthropic efforts in supporting local charities and educational institutions.
Another prominent figure was Sir John Jeffcoat (1789-1855), a British naval officer and explorer who played a significant role in the exploration and mapping of the Pacific Ocean. His exploits and contributions to maritime navigation earned him a knighthood and a place in the annals of British naval history.
Moving into the 19th century, the JEFFCOAT name continued to be represented across various fields. One notable individual was Emily Jeffcoat (1844-1912), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights. She established several successful schools and was an active campaigner for women's suffrage in England.
In the realm of literature, the JEFFCOAT surname is associated with the English poet and writer, Thomas Jeffcoat (1872-1942). His works, which often celebrated the beauty of nature and rural life, were widely acclaimed and contributed to the literary landscape of the early 20th century.
These examples illustrate the rich history and diversity of individuals who have borne the JEFFCOAT surname throughout the centuries. While the name's origins can be traced back to the coat-making trade in medieval Lancashire, it has since transcended its occupational roots and become a part of the tapestry of English heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Jeffcoat
Among Census respondents with the surname Jeffcoat, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.9%. The next largest groups are Black (14.5%) and Two or More Races (4.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Jeffcoat 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 Jeffcoat surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White76.9% · 3,176
- Black or African American14.5% · 600
- Two or more races4.8% · 199
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 107
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 29
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 21
Timeline
Historical Census data for Jeffcoat
Jeffcoat 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
#7,549
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,406
+234 bearers (+5.6%)
Per 100,000 1.49
Rank movement Down 189 places
2020
#7,723
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,132
-274 bearers (-6.2%)
Per 100,000 1.38
Rank movement Down 174 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,360 | 4,172 | 1.55 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,549 | 4,406 | 1.49 | +234 bearers (+5.6%) | Down 189 places |
| 2020 | #7,723 | 4,132 | 1.38 | -274 bearers (-6.2%) | Down 174 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 Jeffcoat 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 | #7,549 | #7,723 | -2.3% |
| Count | 4,406 | 4,132 | -6.2% |
| Per 100K | 1.49 | 1.38 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Jeffcoat bearers went from 4,406 to 4,132 (-6.2% change). The surname moved down 174 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,549 to #7,723.
FAQ
Jeffcoat surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Jeffcoat?
Name Census estimates that about 4,738 living Americans carry the surname Jeffcoat. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 72,342 residents.
How common is Jeffcoat?
Jeffcoat ranks #7,723 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.38 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,132 people with the surname Jeffcoat. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,738), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.38 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.38 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Jeffcoat.
Has Jeffcoat become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Jeffcoat went from 4,406 recorded bearers to 4,132. That is a decrease of 274 (-6.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,549 to #7,723.
What does the Census say about the background of Jeffcoat?
Among Census respondents with the surname Jeffcoat, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.9%. The next largest groups are Black (14.5%) and Two or More Races (4.8%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Jeffcoat in the 2020 Census, accounting for 76.9% (3,176 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Jeffcoat appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (76.9%), Black (14.5%), Two or More Races (4.8%). 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 Jeffcoat (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 Jeffcoat mean?
A surname derived from a nickname for a person who wore a jacket or coat made of a thick material. 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 Jeffcoat (1.38 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 many people share the surname Jeffcoat?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.