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

Jernigan, 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 Jernigan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jernigan in America

Jernigan is the 2294th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jernigan surname appeared 15,889 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Jernigan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jernigan 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 Jernigan

The surname Jernigan has its origins in England and is believed to have emerged during the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "gyrn" meaning "yarn" and "inga" meaning "people of," suggesting the name may have been associated with individuals involved in the textile industry or yarn production.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk from 1166, where a person named William Gernegan is mentioned. This spelling variation provides insight into the name's evolution over time.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as Jernegan, Gernegan, and Jernyngham, reflecting regional dialects and scribal variations in record-keeping. The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk in eastern England.

During the 14th century, the Jernigan name gained prominence with the birth of Sir Henry Jerningham (c. 1375-1437), a prominent English knight and landowner. He served as a Member of Parliament and was actively involved in the Hundred Years' War against France.

Another notable figure bearing the Jernigan surname was Sir John Jerningham (c. 1510-1571), who served as a Member of Parliament during the reigns of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. He played a significant role in the religious conflicts of the time, initially supporting the Catholic faith before ultimately conforming to the Church of England.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in the records of the Virginia Company of London, which established the first permanent English settlement in North America at Jamestown in 1607. A Thomas Jernigan is listed as one of the early settlers in the colony, arriving in Virginia around 1618.

As the Jernigan name spread across England and later to the American colonies, it underwent various spelling variations, including Jernegan, Jarnigan, and Jarnagan. The name was also associated with several place names, such as Jerningham in Norfolk and Jerningham Park in Suffolk.

Other notable individuals with the Jernigan surname include John Jerningham (1759-1837), an English Catholic writer and biographer, and Edmund Jerningham (1776-1842), an English Catholic priest and author who served as the vicar apostolic of the Western District of England.

Throughout its history, the Jernigan name has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, ranging from knights and landowners to settlers, writers, and religious figures, reflecting the rich tapestry of English and American history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jernigan

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

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

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

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