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

Night, 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 Night surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Night in America

Night is the 64891st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Night surname appeared 306 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Night.

We can also compare 2010 data for Night 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 Night

The surname Night has its origins in England, with records indicating its presence as early as the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "niht," meaning "night," and was likely originally bestowed upon someone who worked or traveled at night, possibly a watchman or night guard.

One of the earliest documented instances of the Night surname appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1190, where a certain Roger Night is mentioned as a landowner. Another early reference can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which lists a William Night as a resident of the county.

In the 14th century, the surname Night appears in various records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a John Night is listed as a taxpayer. The Lay Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from 1332 also mention a Thomas Night residing in the area.

During the 15th century, the surname Night became more widespread across England. Notable individuals with this surname include Sir John Night (c. 1420 - 1487), a prominent landowner and member of the gentry in Berkshire. Another remarkable figure was Humphrey Night (1474 - 1536), a wealthy merchant and alderman from Bristol who played a significant role in the city's trade and governance.

In the 16th century, the Night surname continued to flourish. One notable figure was Sir Thomas Night (1515 - 1584), a distinguished military commander who served under Queen Elizabeth I and played a crucial role in the English campaign against the Spanish Armada in 1588.

Other notable individuals with the Night surname throughout history include:

1. William Night (1633 - 1701), an English Puritan minister and influential theologian.
2. Richard Night (1675 - 1744), a renowned English architect and surveyor responsible for designing several notable buildings in London.
3. Elizabeth Night (1723 - 1789), a prominent writer and poet known for her satirical works criticizing social injustices.
4. John Night (1799 - 1865), a British explorer who led several expeditions to Africa and documented his travels extensively.
5. Sarah Night (1842 - 1917), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights who fought for equal educational opportunities for girls.

While the Night surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with descendants bearing this name found in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Night

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

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

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

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