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

Phoenix, 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 Phoenix surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Phoenix in America

Phoenix is the 9745th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Phoenix surname appeared 3,326 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Phoenix.

We can also compare 2010 data for Phoenix 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 Phoenix

The surname Phoenix has its origins in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Greek mythological bird, the phoenix, which symbolized renewal and rebirth. It is possible that the name was initially adopted as a nickname or descriptive name for someone who had experienced a significant transformation or rebirth in their life.

One of the earliest documented examples of the Phoenix surname can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, where a Thomas Phoenix was recorded in 1568. Another early reference is in the records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, where a William Phoenix from Colchester, Essex, had his will probated in 1585.

During the 17th century, the Phoenix surname appeared in various regions of England, including London, Kent, and Oxfordshire. In 1635, a John Phoenix was listed as a resident of the parish of St. Dunstan's in the East, London. Later, in 1672, a Thomas Phoenix was recorded in the parish registers of Maidstone, Kent.

Notable individuals with the surname Phoenix include Sir Edward Phoenix (1617-1670), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire during the English Civil War. Another prominent figure was John Phoenix (1745-1810), an English Unitarian minister and writer who published several works on theology and philosophy.

In the 18th century, the surname spread to other parts of the British Isles, including Scotland and Ireland. One example is David Phoenix (1755-1830), a Scottish architect who designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh, such as the Assembly Rooms and the Regent Bridge.

As the British Empire expanded, the Phoenix surname also found its way to other parts of the world. In the 19th century, there were individuals with this surname recorded in British colonies such as India and Australia. One notable Australian with the Phoenix surname was John Phoenix (1862-1940), a politician who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.

While the Phoenix surname is not among the most common in the English-speaking world, it has a rich history and is associated with various notable figures throughout the centuries. The name's mythological origins and symbolism of renewal and rebirth have contributed to its enduring appeal and significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Phoenix

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!