Kingsolver last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Kingsolver

A locational surname referring to someone from a place known as the king's clearing or pasture.

Kingsolver, 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 Kingsolver surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kingsolver in America

Kingsolver is the 49087th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kingsolver surname appeared 429 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 Kingsolver.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kingsolver 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 49087 50055 -1.95%
Count 429 393 8.76%
Proportion per 100k 0.15 0.15 0.00%

The history of the last name Kingsolver

The surname Kingsolver is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the late medieval period in the 13th or 14th century. It is believed to have originated as an occupational name, referring to someone who was a 'king's solutioner' or 'king's solver' – a person responsible for resolving legal disputes or solving problems on behalf of the monarch.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a certain John le Kyngessoluere is mentioned. This early spelling variation provides insight into the name's etymology and its connection to the concept of solving or resolving matters for the king.

In the 15th century, the name appears in various records with slight spelling variations, such as Kyngsoluer, Kyngsolvere, and Kyngsolvar. These variations reflect the fluid nature of surname spellings during that era, as well as regional dialectal differences.

The Kingsolver surname is thought to have originated in the Midlands region of England, particularly in counties like Worcestershire, Warwickshire, and Staffordshire, where early records of the name have been found.

One notable historical figure bearing the Kingsolver name was William Kingsolver, born in 1589 in Staffordshire. He was a prominent landowner and served as a magistrate in his local community.

Another individual of note was Thomas Kingsolver, born in 1642 in Warwickshire. He was a merchant and trader who established successful business ventures in London during the 17th century.

In the 18th century, the Kingsolver surname spread beyond its original Midlands heartland, with families bearing the name found in various parts of England. One such individual was John Kingsolver, born in 1712 in Yorkshire, who was a respected scholar and author of several academic works.

The 19th century saw the Kingsolver name cross the Atlantic, with several families emigrating to North America. One notable example is that of James Kingsolver, born in 1825 in Gloucestershire, England, who later settled in Virginia, USA, where he became a successful farmer and landowner.

Another historical figure was Mary Kingsolver, born in 1852 in Shropshire, England. She was a pioneering educator and women's rights advocate who founded several schools for girls in the United States after emigrating there in the late 19th century.

Throughout its history, the Kingsolver surname has maintained its distinct English origins and connection to the concept of solving or resolving matters for the king, reflecting the occupational roots of this intriguing surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kingsolver

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

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 Kingsolver was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 98.14% 421
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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 Kingsolver has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 98.14% 97.46% 0.70%
Black 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.00% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races (S)% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic (S)% (S)% (S)%

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

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

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"Kingsolver last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on September 21, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/kingsolver-surname-popularity/.

"Kingsolver last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/kingsolver-surname-popularity/. Accessed 21 September, 2024

Kingsolver last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/kingsolver-surname-popularity/.

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