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

Scarlett, 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 Scarlett surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Scarlett in America

Scarlett is the 7261st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Scarlett surname appeared 4,590 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Scarlett.

We can also compare 2010 data for Scarlett 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 Scarlett

The surname Scarlett is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "escarlate," meaning a rich, bright red cloth. The name initially referred to someone who dyed, sold, or wore this vibrant red fabric.

This surname first emerged in the 12th century, with early recorded instances found in various counties across England, including Yorkshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk. One of the earliest known bearers was William Scarlat, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1176.

In the 13th century, the Scarlett surname appeared in the Hundredorum Rolls, a census-like record of landowners in England. Notable entries include Adam Scarlet in Oxfordshire (1273) and John Skarlet in Cambridgeshire (1279). These early spellings highlight the name's evolution from its Old French roots.

The Scarlett name continued to spread across England in the following centuries, with various spelling variations emerging, such as Scarlet, Scarlette, and Skarlett. One notable bearer was Robert Scarlett (1519-1594), an English Roman Catholic priest and martyr during the Elizabethan period.

In the 17th century, the Scarlett surname found its way to Ireland, particularly in counties like Down and Antrim. One prominent figure was John Scarlett (1661-1714), an Irish Anglican priest and author born in County Down.

As the name spread, several notable individuals emerged, including Sir James Yorke Scarlett (1799-1871), a British Army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and the Crimean War, and Nathaniel Scarlett (1753-1834), an English lawyer and politician who served as Chief Baron of the Exchequer.

Other significant bearers of the Scarlett surname include William Scarlett (1828-1908), an English-born architect who designed several notable buildings in Canada, and John Scarlett (1976-), a British journalist and former head of the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6).

Throughout its history, the Scarlett surname has been associated with various occupations and professions, from cloth merchants and dyers to military officers, lawyers, and civil servants. Its rich red hue and origins in the textile industry have given the name a distinctive and colorful legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Scarlett

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

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

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

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