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

Josh, 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 Josh surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Josh in America

Josh is the 61899th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Josh surname appeared 324 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 Josh.

We can also compare 2010 data for Josh 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 Josh

The surname JOSH is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "giocc," which referred to a type of coat or tunic commonly worn by farmers and peasants.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name JOSH can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Radulfus Josh, who held lands in the county of Norfolk.

During the 13th century, the name JOSH appeared in various medieval records and charters, often associated with families from rural areas of England. For instance, a document from 1256 mentions a William Josh, a freeholder in the village of Hartington, Derbyshire.

In the 16th century, the surname JOSH was found in several parish records, such as the baptismal record of John Josh, born in 1542 in the village of Chaddesley Corbett, Worcestershire. Another notable figure from this period was Thomas Josh (1551-1621), a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol.

As the centuries progressed, the surname JOSH spread to various regions of England, and variations in spelling emerged, including Joshe, Joss, and Josse. Some notable individuals bearing this surname include:

1. Sir William Josh (1634-1692), a Member of Parliament and landowner from Gloucestershire.
2. Mary Josh (1704-1783), a renowned poet and writer from Oxfordshire.
3. John Josh (1762-1829), a celebrated architect who designed several churches in London.
4. Edward Josh (1812-1887), a renowned botanist and explorer who traveled extensively in Africa and Asia.
5. Elizabeth Josh (1865-1941), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights in Yorkshire.

While the surname JOSH originated in England, it has since been carried to various parts of the world by emigrants and descendants, contributing to its diverse geographic distribution and cultural significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Josh

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

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

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

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