2000
#10,242
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,889
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.07
Rare Last name
Midgett
Derived from a Middle English nickname for a small person, from the word "midget."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,704 Americans carry the last name Midgett. That puts it at #12,545 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.79 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 126,758 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Midgett 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
2.7K
1 in 126,758
Census rank
#12,545
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,358 bearers of the surname Midgett in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.79 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12545th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Midgett, the largest self-reported group is White at 74.9%. The next largest groups are Black (17.8%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Midgett
The surname Midgett has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "midd" and "geat," meaning "middle gate" or "central gate." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a central gate or entrance to a town or settlement.
One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it is recorded as "Midgat." This document was a survey of landholders in England commissioned by King Edward I. The spelling variations at the time included Midgat, Midgate, and Mydgate.
The Midgett surname is also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, indicating its presence in that region during the 14th century. Additionally, the name appears in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1397, a legal record of land transfers, further solidifying its English roots.
One notable early bearer of the name was John Midgett, born in Worcestershire around 1450. He was a merchant and landowner who played a role in the local governance of his community during the latter half of the 15th century.
In the 16th century, the Midgett family established themselves in the village of Midgett, located in the county of Norfolk. This place name is likely derived from the surname itself and may have been a settlement established by members of the Midgett clan.
Sir William Midgett, born in 1580 in Norfolk, was a prominent figure during the reign of King James I. He served as a member of Parliament and was knighted for his services to the Crown in 1618.
Another notable bearer of the name was Elizabeth Midgett, born in 1632 in Suffolk. She was a renowned author and poet, known for her work "A Collection of Virtuous Verses," published in 1670.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Midgett surname spread to other parts of England, as well as to the American colonies, where it was found in Virginia and the Carolinas.
In the 19th century, John Midgett (1812-1890), born in Norfolk, was a renowned explorer and naturalist. He led several expeditions to the Arctic regions and made significant contributions to the study of plant and animal life in those areas.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Midgett
Among Census respondents with the surname Midgett, the largest self-reported group is White at 74.9%. The next largest groups are Black (17.8%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Midgett 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 Midgett surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White74.9% · 1,765
- Black or African American17.8% · 420
- Two or more races3.6% · 86
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 69
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 9
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Midgett
Midgett 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
#10,880
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,930
+41 bearers (+1.4%)
Per 100,000 0.99
Rank movement Down 638 places
2020
#12,545
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,358
-572 bearers (-19.5%)
Per 100,000 0.79
Rank movement Down 1,665 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,242 | 2,889 | 1.07 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,880 | 2,930 | 0.99 | +41 bearers (+1.4%) | Down 638 places |
| 2020 | #12,545 | 2,358 | 0.79 | -572 bearers (-19.5%) | Down 1,665 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 Midgett 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 | #10,880 | #12,545 | -15.3% |
| Count | 2,930 | 2,358 | -19.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.99 | 0.79 | -20.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Midgett bearers went from 2,930 to 2,358 (-19.5% change). The surname moved down 1,665 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,880 to #12,545.
FAQ
Midgett surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Midgett?
Name Census estimates that about 2,704 living Americans carry the surname Midgett. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 126,758 residents.
How common is Midgett?
Midgett ranks #12,545 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.79 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 2,358 people with the surname Midgett. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,704), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.79 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.79 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 Midgett.
Has Midgett become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Midgett went from 2,930 recorded bearers to 2,358. That is a decrease of 572 (-19.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #10,880 to #12,545.
What does the Census say about the background of Midgett?
Among Census respondents with the surname Midgett, the largest self-reported group is White at 74.9%. The next largest groups are Black (17.8%) and Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Midgett in the 2020 Census, accounting for 74.9% (1,765 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Midgett appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (74.9%), Black (17.8%), Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Midgett (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 Midgett mean?
Derived from a Middle English nickname for a small person, from the word "midget." 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 Midgett (0.79 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 Americans have the surname Midgett?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.