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

Register, 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 Register surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Register in America

Register is the 3914th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Register surname appeared 9,075 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Register.

We can also compare 2010 data for Register 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 Register

The surname "Register" has its origins in the Old French word "registre", which means "to record" or "to list". It is believed to have emerged as a occupational surname in the 13th century, referring to individuals who were responsible for maintaining records, such as clerks or scribes.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname can be traced back to medieval England, where it was often spelled as "Registre" or "Regestre". One notable mention is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1294, which lists a certain "John Registre" as a taxpayer.

In the 14th century, the surname began to appear in various forms, including "Regester" and "Regestour". An example can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which mentions a "Thomas le Regester".

By the 15th century, the spelling had evolved closer to its modern form, with instances such as "Regester" and "Register" appearing in records across England. The Lay Subsidy Rolls of Wiltshire from 1440 include a "John Register" among the listed taxpayers.

As the surname spread, it also found its way into other parts of the British Isles. In Scotland, one of the earliest recorded instances is that of William Register, who was mentioned in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1480.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname "Register". One example is Ninian Register, a Scottish minister and author who lived in the late 16th century and wrote a book titled "The Vindication of the Reformation in Scotland".

Another prominent figure was Robert Register, an English clergyman and academic who lived from 1625 to 1679. He served as the Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge, and was known for his sermons and writings on theological subjects.

In the 18th century, John Register was an English architect and surveyor who worked on various projects in London and the surrounding areas, including the construction of several churches and public buildings.

Moving into the 19th century, we find Thomas Register, a Scottish artist and painter who was born in 1818 and is remembered for his landscapes and portraits of notable figures of the time.

Finally, in the early 20th century, Walter Register was an American politician and lawyer who served as a Representative from North Carolina in the United States Congress from 1913 to 1915.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Register

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

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

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

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