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

Manchester, 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 Manchester surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Manchester in America

Manchester is the 6538th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Manchester surname appeared 5,182 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Manchester.

We can also compare 2010 data for Manchester 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 Manchester

The surname MANCHESTER originated in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. The name derives from the city of Manchester, which was originally known as "Mamucium" during the Roman occupation. This name evolved over time, with variations such as "Mameceaster" and "Manchenister" appearing in historical records.

The name MANCHESTER is closely tied to the city's history and development. Manchester played a significant role in the Industrial Revolution, becoming a hub for textile manufacturing and innovation. As the city grew in importance, the surname became more widespread, with families adopting it as a way to identify their connection to the area.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname MANCHESTER was John de Mancestre, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1259. Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Grelle, Lord of Manchester, who lived in the 14th century and held significant influence in the region.

The MANCHESTER name gained further prominence during the Tudor period, with Sir Edward Manchester (c. 1496-1567) serving as a Member of Parliament and holding the position of Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer under Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester (1602-1671), played a crucial role in the English Civil War, leading Parliamentary forces against King Charles I. His military exploits and political influence solidified the MANCHESTER name's association with power and prestige.

Another notable figure was Robert Montagu, 3rd Earl of Manchester (1634-1683), who served as Lord Chamberlain of the Household under King Charles II and was a prominent member of the English aristocracy.

During the 18th century, the MANCHESTER surname continued to be associated with influential individuals, including William Draper, Lord Viscount of MANCHESTER (1716-1789), a military officer and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Antigua.

As the Industrial Revolution transformed Manchester into a global manufacturing center, the surname became more widely disseminated, with families from various backgrounds adopting it to reflect their connection to the city's economic and cultural significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Manchester

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

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

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

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