2000
#12,967
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,168
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.80
Rare Last name
Mabrey
Derived from a place name meaning "the breach," likely referring to a gap in a hedge or fence.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,316 Americans carry the last name Mabrey. That puts it at #14,265 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.68 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 147,994 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mabrey surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
2.3K
1 in 147,994
Census rank
#14,265
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,020 bearers of the surname Mabrey in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.68 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14265th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mabrey, the largest self-reported group is White at 74.6%. The next largest groups are Black (17.3%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mabrey
The surname Mabrey has its origins in England, specifically in the county of Devon. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "mæl" meaning "speech" or "discourse" and "bryg" meaning "bridge" or "town." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a bridge or in a town where public speaking or debates took place.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Malbreg." This entry indicates that the name was already in use during the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century.
In the 13th century, the name was documented as "Maubrige" in the Curia Regis Rolls of Devonshire, further solidifying its connection to the county. During this time period, the name may have evolved from its Old English roots to a more Anglicized form.
A notable early bearer of the name was Sir John Mabrey, a knight who fought alongside Edward III in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War in 1346. His bravery and loyalty to the English crown were documented in various historical accounts.
Another prominent figure was William Mabrey, born in 1585 in Exeter, Devon. He was a renowned playwright and poet during the Elizabethan era, and his works were praised by literary figures of the time.
In the late 17th century, the Mabrey family established itself in the town of Tiverton, Devon. One member, Thomas Mabrey (1654-1732), was a successful merchant and landowner, and his descendants continued to play a significant role in the local community for generations.
The 19th century saw the name spread beyond Devon, with individuals bearing the surname Mabrey appearing in various parts of England. One notable example is Elizabeth Mabrey (1817-1891), a pioneering educator who founded several schools for girls in London.
While the surname Mabrey is not among the most common in the English-speaking world, it has a rich history deeply rooted in the county of Devon, with references dating back to the Norman era and notable individuals contributing to various fields throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mabrey
Among Census respondents with the surname Mabrey, the largest self-reported group is White at 74.6%. The next largest groups are Black (17.3%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Mabrey bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Mabrey surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White74.6% · 1,507
- Black or African American17.3% · 350
- Two or more races4.3% · 87
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 55
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 16
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mabrey
Mabrey appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#13,834
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,185
+17 bearers (+0.8%)
Per 100,000 0.74
Rank movement Down 867 places
2020
#14,265
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,020
-165 bearers (-7.6%)
Per 100,000 0.68
Rank movement Down 431 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,967 | 2,168 | 0.80 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,834 | 2,185 | 0.74 | +17 bearers (+0.8%) | Down 867 places |
| 2020 | #14,265 | 2,020 | 0.68 | -165 bearers (-7.6%) | Down 431 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Mabrey surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #13,834 | #14,265 | -3.1% |
| Count | 2,185 | 2,020 | -7.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.74 | 0.68 | -8.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mabrey bearers went from 2,185 to 2,020 (-7.6% change). The surname moved down 431 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,834 to #14,265.
FAQ
Mabrey surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mabrey?
Name Census estimates that about 2,316 living Americans carry the surname Mabrey. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 147,994 residents.
How common is Mabrey?
Mabrey ranks #14,265 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.68 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,020 people with the surname Mabrey. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,316), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.68 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.68 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Mabrey.
Has Mabrey become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mabrey went from 2,185 recorded bearers to 2,020. That is a decrease of 165 (-7.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #13,834 to #14,265.
What does the Census say about the background of Mabrey?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mabrey, the largest self-reported group is White at 74.6%. The next largest groups are Black (17.3%) and Two or More Races (4.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Mabrey in the 2020 Census, accounting for 74.6% (1,507 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mabrey appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (74.6%), Black (17.3%), Two or More Races (4.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Mabrey (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Mabrey mean?
Derived from a place name meaning "the breach," likely referring to a gap in a hedge or fence. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Mabrey (0.68 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Mabrey?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.