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

Jericho, 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 Jericho surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jericho in America

Jericho is the 86005th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jericho surname appeared 217 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 Jericho.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jericho 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 Jericho

The surname Jericho originates from the Middle Eastern region, specifically the ancient city of Jericho, which is considered one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The name is derived from the Hebrew word "Yericho," meaning "fragrant place" or "place of fragrance."

Jericho is a biblical city mentioned in the Old Testament, and its name is rooted in the ancient Semitic languages. The city's significance in religious and historical contexts likely contributed to the adoption of its name as a surname. The earliest recorded instances of the surname Jericho date back to the 12th century, when it was used by individuals associated with the city or those who had traveled there.

One of the earliest known references to the surname Jericho can be found in the Domesday Book, a record of land holdings compiled in 1086 for William the Conqueror. The name is mentioned in connection with a landowner or tenant from the region. This entry provides valuable insight into the early use and spread of the surname throughout England.

In the 13th century, a notable figure with the surname Jericho was Sir William de Jericho, a crusader who participated in the Third Crusade (1189-1192) and fought alongside King Richard I, also known as Richard the Lionheart. Sir William's participation in the crusades and his association with the Holy Land likely contributed to the adoption of the surname.

Another significant bearer of the name was John Jericho, a 14th-century English scholar and theologian. He was a prominent figure at the University of Oxford and authored several works on theology and philosophy. His contributions to academia and his association with the city of Oxford further solidified the surname's presence in England.

During the 16th century, a branch of the Jericho family settled in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of the renowned playwright William Shakespeare. Records indicate that a Thomas Jericho was a prominent citizen and landowner in the area during Shakespeare's lifetime, though no direct connection between the two families has been established.

In the 18th century, Samuel Jericho (1704-1782) was a notable English merchant and philanthropist. He amassed a considerable fortune through his trading ventures and became known for his charitable contributions, particularly in supporting education and establishing schools in his hometown.

Throughout the centuries, the surname Jericho has been associated with various locations and place names, such as Jericho Plantations in Jamaica, Jericho Village in Vermont, and Jericho Hill in England, reflecting the widespread adoption and migration of individuals bearing this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jericho

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

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

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

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