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

Richard, 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 Richard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Richard in America

Richard is the 629th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Richard surname appeared 53,893 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 18 people would have the surname Richard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Richard 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 Richard

The surname Richard is of Germanic origin, derived from the Old German name "Rikharu" which means powerful or brave ruler. It is believed to have emerged in the 8th century AD in areas that are now modern-day Germany and the Netherlands.

The name gained prominence during the Middle Ages, particularly in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Normans brought the name to Britain, and it became a popular surname among the nobility and gentry. One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Richard can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror.

During the 12th and 13th centuries, the surname Richard was found in various places across England, including Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, and Suffolk. The name was sometimes spelled differently, such as Richart, Richerd, or Rycharde, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time.

One notable bearer of the surname Richard was Sir Robert Richard, a 14th-century English knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War against France. He was born around 1320 and died in 1375. Another famous Richard was John Richard, a 15th-century English politician and member of Parliament who served as the Speaker of the House of Commons from 1478 to 1483.

In the 16th century, the surname Richard was associated with several prominent figures, including Sir Richard Grenville (1542-1591), an English naval commander and explorer who was celebrated for his bravery during the Anglo-Spanish War. Another notable bearer was Sir Richard Saltonstall (1517-1601), an English lord and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1597.

During the 17th century, the name Richard was found among the early settlers of colonial America. One example is Richard Dexter (1590-1670), an English Puritan settler who arrived in Massachusetts in 1643 and became a prominent figure in the town of Providence, Rhode Island.

Throughout history, the surname Richard has been carried by many individuals across various fields, including literature, arts, and sciences. These examples illustrate the rich heritage and widespread distribution of this surname, which has its roots in the Germanic languages and was popularized during the Middle Ages in England and other parts of Europe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Richard

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

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

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

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