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

Rosemary, 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 Rosemary surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rosemary in America

Rosemary is the 153769th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rosemary surname appeared 106 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Rosemary.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rosemary 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 Rosemary

The surname Rosemary is of English origin, derived from the herb of the same name. It is believed to have originated as a descriptive name for someone who lived near a patch of rosemary or worked with the herb in some capacity.

The earliest recorded use of the surname dates back to the early 13th century, with a reference to a Radulfus Rosemarine in the Pipe Rolls of Hampshire in 1212. The spelling "Rosemary" first appeared in the late 16th century.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was John Rosemary, a merchant from London who lived in the late 15th century. He is mentioned in records from the city's Guildhall.

In the 16th century, a family by the name of Rosemary resided in the village of Stratton Audley in Oxfordshire. This is evidenced by parish records from the time.

A notable bearer of the name was Sir Samuel Rosemary (1570-1638), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1628.

Another historical figure was William Rosemary (1604-1685), an English Puritan minister and author who served as a chaplain in the Parliamentary army during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, there was a family of Rosemarys in the coastal town of Whitby, Yorkshire. One member, John Rosemary (1725-1798), was a successful shipowner and trader.

The name Rosemary also has connections to various places in England, such as Rosemary Lane in London and Rosemary Street in Sunderland.

Other notable people with the surname include the English actor and playwright John Rosemary (1819-1891), and the American botanist Edith Rosemary (1878-1960), who specialized in the study of ferns.

While not as common as some other surnames, Rosemary has a rich history and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rosemary

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

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

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

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