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

Minor, 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 Minor surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Minor in America

Minor is the 1145th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Minor surname appeared 30,702 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 10 people would have the surname Minor.

We can also compare 2010 data for Minor 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 Minor

The surname Minor originated in England, deriving from the Middle English term "minor," meaning a person who was under legal age or in a subordinate position. This name likely arose as an occupational surname, referring to a servant or someone in a lower social rank.

The name Minor can be traced back to the 13th century in various English records and documents. One of the earliest known bearers of this surname was Richard le Minor, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1272.

Minor is also believed to have connections to certain place names in England, such as Minor Marsh in Worcestershire and Minor's Green in Buckinghamshire. These locations may have played a role in the development and spread of the surname.

During the 14th century, the name Minor appeared in various forms, including Mynor, Mynour, and Menour, reflecting the spelling variations common in that era.

One notable individual bearing the surname Minor was John Minor, a 16th-century English theologian and scholar who lived from approximately 1508 to 1570. He was renowned for his academic contributions and served as the master of the prestigious Eton College.

In the 17th century, Thomas Minor (1608-1690) was a prominent English Puritan minister and author who played a significant role in the religious and intellectual life of his time.

Another notable figure was Stephen Minor (1690-1770), an English mathematician and astronomer who made valuable contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.

In the 19th century, Robert Crisp Minor (1839-1904) was a distinguished English architect known for his work on several churches and public buildings in London.

William Chester Minor (1834-1920), an American surgeon and lexicographer, gained recognition for his substantial contributions to the Oxford English Dictionary while confined to a mental asylum.

The surname Minor has a rich history, spanning centuries and reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who have borne it. Its origins can be traced back to medieval England, where it emerged as an occupational surname, eventually spreading to various regions and leaving an indelible mark on various fields, including academia, religion, science, and architecture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Minor

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

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

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

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