2000
#124,872
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Medbury
Likely a locational surname referring to someone from a place called Medbury.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Medbury. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Medbury 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
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Medbury in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Medbury, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Medbury
The surname Medbury has its origins in England, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "mede," meaning meadow, and "bury," referring to a fortified town or dwelling. This suggests that the name might have been associated with someone who resided near or owned a meadow in a particular town or village.
The earliest known record of the name Medbury appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This ancient document mentions a landowner named Reginald de Medbury, who held lands in Wiltshire.
Throughout the centuries, the Medbury name has undergone various spelling variations, such as Medbury, Medebury, and Meadbury, reflecting the inconsistencies in written records of the time. Several place names in England, like Medbury Village in Wiltshire and Medbury Farm in Somerset, are believed to have contributed to the development of the surname.
One notable bearer of the Medbury name was Sir John Medbury (1560-1637), a distinguished English politician and Member of Parliament during the reign of King James I. He played a significant role in the governance of the county of Wiltshire and was known for his advocacy of religious tolerance.
Another prominent individual was Elizabeth Medbury (1672-1738), a renowned author and poet from Oxfordshire. Her collection of poems, titled "Medbury's Musings," gained widespread acclaim and was celebrated for its vivid imagery and insightful commentary on contemporary life.
In the 18th century, Thomas Medbury (1712-1789) made a name for himself as a respected physician and medical pioneer. His groundbreaking work on the treatment of smallpox and other infectious diseases contributed significantly to the advancement of medical knowledge during that era.
The Medbury family also had a presence in the military, with Captain William Medbury (1785-1856) serving as a naval officer in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. His bravery and leadership earned him several commendations and a distinguished service record.
Another noteworthy figure was Margaret Medbury (1825-1901), a prominent philanthropist and social reformer from Yorkshire. She dedicated her life to improving the living conditions of the poor and advocating for women's rights, leaving a lasting impact on her community.
While the surname Medbury may not be among the most common today, its rich history and varied contributions across various fields serve as a testament to the enduring legacy of this English name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Medbury
Among Census respondents with the surname Medbury, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Medbury 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 Medbury surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.2% · 105
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Medbury
Medbury 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
#129,825
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 131
+4 bearers (+3.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,953 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-23 bearers (-17.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 21,110 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #124,872 | 127 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #129,825 | 131 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.1%) | Down 4,953 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | -23 bearers (-17.6%) | Down 21,110 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 Medbury 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 | #129,825 | #150,935 | -16.3% |
| Count | 131 | 108 | -17.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Medbury bearers went from 131 to 108 (-17.6% change). The surname moved down 21,110 positions in the national ranking, going from #129,825 to #150,935.
FAQ
Medbury surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Medbury?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Medbury. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Medbury?
Medbury ranks #150,935 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 108 people with the surname Medbury. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Medbury.
Has Medbury become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Medbury went from 131 recorded bearers to 108. That is a decrease of 23 (-17.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #129,825 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Medbury?
Among Census respondents with the surname Medbury, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). 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 Medbury in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.2% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Medbury appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.2%), Two or More Races (1.9%), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). 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 Medbury (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 Medbury mean?
Likely a locational surname referring to someone from a place called Medbury. 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 Medbury (0.04 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 Medbury?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.