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

Junior, 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 Junior surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Junior in America

Junior is the 14038th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Junior surname appeared 2,146 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Junior.

We can also compare 2010 data for Junior 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 Junior

The surname JUNIOR is an English surname derived from the Latin word "iunior" meaning "younger" or "junior". It originated as a descriptive name used to distinguish between two people with the same given name, typically a father and son or an older and younger relative.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname JUNIOR can be traced back to the 13th century in England. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William le Junur, mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273. The spelling variations during this period included Junur, Junyor, and Juniur.

In the 14th century, the surname JUNIOR appeared in various historical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a John le Junyor was listed. The name was also found in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, with the spelling Junyour.

The JUNIOR surname was not limited to England; it also had a presence in Scotland. One notable bearer of the name was William Junyor, a Scottish merchant who lived in the 15th century and was mentioned in the records of the burgh of Aberdeen in 1438.

Among the notable historical figures with the surname JUNIOR was Sir Thomas Junior (c. 1510-1564), an English politician and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent individual was William Junior (1633-1689), an English Puritan minister and author who served as a chaplain to Oliver Cromwell.

In the 17th century, the JUNIOR surname was found in various parts of England, including Gloucestershire, where a John Junior was recorded in the Hearth Tax Returns of 1672. The name was also present in Oxfordshire, as evidenced by the baptismal record of Mary Junior in the parish of Standlake in 1688.

As the surname JUNIOR spread across different regions, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Junyor, Junier, and Juniour. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and the preferences of record keepers at the time.

Throughout its history, the JUNIOR surname has been associated with various professions and social classes, from merchants and politicians to clergymen and landowners. While not as prevalent as some other surnames, it has left its mark on the historical records of England and Scotland, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of those who bore this distinctive name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Junior

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

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

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

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