2000
#30,229
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 731
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.27
Very Rare Last name
Quinby
An anglicized form of the French surname Quinby derived from the town name of Quincampoix.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 987 Americans carry the last name Quinby. That puts it at #29,273 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.29 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 347,269 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Quinby 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
987
1 in 347,269
Census rank
#29,273
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
861
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 861 bearers of the surname Quinby in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.29 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 29273rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Quinby, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.1%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Quinby
The surname Quinby is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from a place name, specifically the town of Quenby in Leicestershire. The name Quenby itself is derived from the Old English words "cwēn" meaning woman or queen, and "byrig" meaning a fortified town or manor.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Quinby can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Quenebi." This ancient survey commissioned by William the Conqueror serves as a valuable historical record, suggesting that the Quinby name had already established itself in England by the late 11th century.
During the Middle Ages, the Quinby family likely resided in the village of Quenby, which was situated near the town of Hungarton. In those times, it was common for people to adopt surnames derived from the places they lived or were associated with.
In the 13th century, a notable figure named Roger de Quenby was recorded as holding lands in Quenby and the surrounding areas. This historical reference provides further evidence of the name's longevity and its connection to the local geography.
Another early mention of the Quinby name can be found in the Calendars of Inquisitions Post Mortem, a series of records documenting land holdings and inheritance cases in medieval England. In the year 1361, a William de Quenby was listed as a landowner in Leicestershire.
As the Quinby family grew and spread across England, variations in spelling emerged, including Quinby, Quimby, and Quenby. This was a common occurrence in the days before standardized spelling conventions were established.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Quinby surname. One such figure was John Quinby (1589-1663), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Bishop of Peterborough. Another was Isaac Quinby (1777-1843), an American physician who pioneered the use of homeopathic remedies in the United States.
In more recent times, the name Quinby has been associated with individuals like David Quinby (1899-1976), an American actor and director, and Theresa Quinby (1912-1996), a celebrated American opera singer.
While the Quinby surname may have evolved over the centuries, its origins can be traced back to the medieval English village of Quenby, a testament to the rich historical tapestry woven by names and the stories they carry.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Quinby
Among Census respondents with the surname Quinby, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.1%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Quinby 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 Quinby surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.4% · 787
- Hispanic or Latino4.1% · 35
- Two or more races3.0% · 26
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 5
- Black or African American0.5% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Quinby
Quinby 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
#29,822
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 788
+57 bearers (+7.8%)
Per 100,000 0.27
Rank movement Up 407 places
2020
#29,273
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 861
+73 bearers (+9.3%)
Per 100,000 0.29
Rank movement Up 549 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #30,229 | 731 | 0.27 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #29,822 | 788 | 0.27 | +57 bearers (+7.8%) | Up 407 places |
| 2020 | #29,273 | 861 | 0.29 | +73 bearers (+9.3%) | Up 549 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 Quinby 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 | #29,822 | #29,273 | 1.8% |
| Count | 788 | 861 | 9.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.27 | 0.29 | 6.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Quinby bearers went from 788 to 861 (+9.3% change). The surname moved up 549 positions in the national ranking, going from #29,822 to #29,273.
FAQ
Quinby surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Quinby?
Name Census estimates that about 987 living Americans carry the surname Quinby. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 347,269 residents.
How common is Quinby?
Quinby ranks #29,273 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.29 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 861 people with the surname Quinby. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (987), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.29 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.29 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 Quinby.
Has Quinby become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Quinby went from 788 recorded bearers to 861. That is an increase of 73 (+9.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #29,822 to #29,273.
What does the Census say about the background of Quinby?
Among Census respondents with the surname Quinby, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.1%) and Two or More Races (3.0%). 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 Quinby in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.4% (787 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Quinby appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.4%), Hispanic (4.1%), Two or More Races (3.0%). 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 Quinby (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 Quinby mean?
An anglicized form of the French surname Quinby derived from the town name of Quincampoix. 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 Quinby (0.29 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 Quinby?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.