2000
#3,043
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,925
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.05
Uncommon Last name
Jeffrey
A surname derived from a medieval given name, a variant of Geoffrey, which comes from German meaning "peaceful pledge."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 11,585 Americans carry the last name Jeffrey. That puts it at #3,451 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.38 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 29,586 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Jeffrey 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 Jeffrey with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
12K
1 in 29,586
Census rank
#3,451
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
10K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,103 bearers of the surname Jeffrey in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.38 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3451st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Jeffrey, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.4%. The next largest groups are Black (17.0%) and Hispanic (4.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Jeffrey
The surname Jeffrey originated in England, with its roots traced back to the medieval period, specifically the 12th century. It is derived from the ancient Germanic personal name "Godfried" or "Gaufrid," which means "peace" and "fried" or "free." The name underwent various transformations and adaptations throughout history, resulting in the modern English spelling of Jeffrey.
During the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, many individuals bearing this name migrated from Normandy to Britain. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appeared in various spellings, such as Geffrei, Geffray, and Jefreys.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Geoffrey of Monmouth, a renowned cleric and historian from the 12th century. He is best known for his work "Historia Regum Britanniae" (History of the Kings of Britain), which recounted the legends of King Arthur and played a significant role in shaping the Arthurian mythology.
In the 13th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, the celebrated English poet and author, is considered one of the most famous individuals to bear the name. His literary masterpiece, "The Canterbury Tales," is a landmark work that profoundly influenced the development of English literature.
Other notable figures with the surname Jeffrey include Sir Walter Raleigh, an English writer, explorer, and courtier who lived from 1552 to 1618. He is renowned for his expeditions to the Americas and his role in establishing the first English colony in North America.
In the realm of science, Edward Jeffrey, an English botanist and geologist who lived from 1834 to 1910, made significant contributions to the study of plant anatomy and fossilized plants. His extensive research and publications advanced our understanding of plant structure and evolution.
During the 19th century, George Jeffrey, a Scottish-born American businessman and philanthropist who lived from 1834 to 1920, played a pivotal role in the development of the steel industry in the United States. He founded the Jeffery Manufacturing Company, which later became part of the Studebaker Corporation, known for producing automobiles and wagons.
The surname Jeffrey has a rich historical lineage, with its origins rooted in medieval England and connections to various notable figures throughout the centuries. While the name may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation, it continues to carry a distinct legacy and cultural significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Jeffrey
Among Census respondents with the surname Jeffrey, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.4%. The next largest groups are Black (17.0%) and Hispanic (4.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Jeffrey 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 Jeffrey surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White72.4% · 7,311
- Black or African American17.0% · 1,722
- Hispanic or Latino4.8% · 482
- Two or more races4.3% · 438
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 101
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 49
Timeline
Historical Census data for Jeffrey
Jeffrey 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
#3,257
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,085
+160 bearers (+1.5%)
Per 100,000 3.76
Rank movement Down 214 places
2020
#3,451
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,103
-982 bearers (-8.9%)
Per 100,000 3.38
Rank movement Down 194 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,043 | 10,925 | 4.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,257 | 11,085 | 3.76 | +160 bearers (+1.5%) | Down 214 places |
| 2020 | #3,451 | 10,103 | 3.38 | -982 bearers (-8.9%) | Down 194 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 Jeffrey 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 | #3,257 | #3,451 | -6.0% |
| Count | 11,085 | 10,103 | -8.9% |
| Per 100K | 3.76 | 3.38 | -10.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Jeffrey bearers went from 11,085 to 10,103 (-8.9% change). The surname moved down 194 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,257 to #3,451.
FAQ
Jeffrey surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Jeffrey?
Name Census estimates that about 11,585 living Americans carry the surname Jeffrey. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 29,586 residents.
How common is Jeffrey?
Jeffrey ranks #3,451 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.38 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,103 people with the surname Jeffrey. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (11,585), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.38 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.38 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Jeffrey.
Has Jeffrey become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Jeffrey went from 11,085 recorded bearers to 10,103. That is a decrease of 982 (-8.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,257 to #3,451.
What does the Census say about the background of Jeffrey?
Among Census respondents with the surname Jeffrey, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.4%. The next largest groups are Black (17.0%) and Hispanic (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 Jeffrey in the 2020 Census, accounting for 72.4% (7,311 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Jeffrey appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (72.4%), Black (17.0%), Hispanic (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 Jeffrey (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 Jeffrey mean?
A surname derived from a medieval given name, a variant of Geoffrey, which comes from German meaning "peaceful pledge." 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 Jeffrey (3.38 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 have the last name Jeffrey?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how common the surname Jeffrey is at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.