2000
#8,737
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,462
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.28
Rare Last name
Record
An occupational surname for a court clerk or official who maintained public records and archives.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,758 Americans carry the last name Record. That puts it at #9,491 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.10 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 91,207 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Record 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Record with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.8K
1 in 91,207
Census rank
#9,491
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,277 bearers of the surname Record in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.10 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9491st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Record, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.9%. The next largest groups are Black (7.8%) and Hispanic (3.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Record
The surname Record is of English origin, with its roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "record," which means "to remember" or "to recollect." This word was initially used to refer to someone who kept records or chronicles, serving as a recorder or keeper of historical accounts.
In medieval England, the Record surname was likely associated with individuals who held administrative roles, such as clerks or scribes responsible for maintaining official records and documents. These individuals played a crucial role in preserving important information, serving as the keepers of knowledge and memory in a time when written records were highly valued.
One of the earliest known references to the Record surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and resources commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This ancient document mentions individuals with the surname Record, indicating their presence in various parts of England during that period.
During the 13th century, the Record surname appeared in various historical records, including the Hundred Rolls and the Pipe Rolls. These records were essential for documenting taxation and legal proceedings, providing insight into the lives of those bearing the surname.
Notable individuals with the Record surname throughout history include John Record (c. 1510-1558), an English Protestant reformer and one of the Six Preachers at Canterbury Cathedral during the reign of Edward VI. Another prominent figure was Robert Record (1510-1558), a mathematician and physician who served as a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.
In the 17th century, Richard Record (1628-1691) was a renowned English physician and botanist who made significant contributions to the study of plants and their medicinal properties. His work, "The Grounde of Artes," published in 1668, was an influential treatise on mathematics and natural philosophy.
Moving into the 18th century, John Record (1679-1758) was an English clergyman and antiquary who served as the rector of Combe St. Nicholas in Somerset. He was known for his extensive collection of manuscripts and historical documents, which he bequeathed to the University of Cambridge upon his passing.
Another notable figure was Alfred Record (1837-1906), a British architect and surveyor who designed several public buildings and churches in London and other parts of England during the Victorian era.
Throughout its history, the Record surname has been associated with various places and locales, including Record Hill in Cambridgeshire, Record Farm in Kent, and Record Lane in Buckinghamshire. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the surname Record who held significant land or property in those areas.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Record
Among Census respondents with the surname Record, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.9%. The next largest groups are Black (7.8%) and Hispanic (3.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Record 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 Record surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.9% · 2,717
- Black or African American7.8% · 255
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 124
- Two or more races3.8% · 124
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 32
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 25
Timeline
Historical Census data for Record
Record 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
#9,262
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,515
+53 bearers (+1.5%)
Per 100,000 1.19
Rank movement Down 525 places
2020
#9,491
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,277
-238 bearers (-6.8%)
Per 100,000 1.10
Rank movement Down 229 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,737 | 3,462 | 1.28 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,262 | 3,515 | 1.19 | +53 bearers (+1.5%) | Down 525 places |
| 2020 | #9,491 | 3,277 | 1.10 | -238 bearers (-6.8%) | Down 229 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 Record 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 | #9,262 | #9,491 | -2.5% |
| Count | 3,515 | 3,277 | -6.8% |
| Per 100K | 1.19 | 1.10 | -7.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Record bearers went from 3,515 to 3,277 (-6.8% change). The surname moved down 229 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,262 to #9,491.
FAQ
Record surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Record?
Name Census estimates that about 3,758 living Americans carry the surname Record. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 91,207 residents.
How common is Record?
Record ranks #9,491 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.10 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 3,277 people with the surname Record. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,758), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.1 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.10 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 Record.
Has Record become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Record went from 3,515 recorded bearers to 3,277. That is a decrease of 238 (-6.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,262 to #9,491.
What does the Census say about the background of Record?
Among Census respondents with the surname Record, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.9%. The next largest groups are Black (7.8%) and Hispanic (3.8%). 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 Record in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.9% (2,717 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Record appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.9%), Black (7.8%), Hispanic (3.8%). 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 Record (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 Record mean?
An occupational surname for a court clerk or official who maintained public records and archives. 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 Record (1.10 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 common is the surname Record?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the surname Record at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.