Find out how popular the last name Scholar is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Scholar.
An occupational surname derived from the word "scholar," referring to a person associated with education or learning.
Scholar, 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 Scholar surname is from the 2010 census data.
Scholar is the 69392nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Scholar surname appeared 283 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 Scholar.
We can also compare 2010 data for Scholar 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.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rank | 69392 | 66476 | 4.29% |
Count | 283 | 278 | 1.78% |
Proportion per 100k | 0.10 | 0.10 | 0.00% |
The surname SCHOLAR has its origins in medieval England, deriving from the Middle English word "scolere," which meant a student or a learned person. This term traces its roots back to the Latin word "scholaris," meaning a scholar or a student attending a school or university.
The surname SCHOLAR emerged during the 12th and 13th centuries in various parts of England, particularly in regions where educational institutions or monastic schools were prevalent. It was initially used as an occupational surname, referring to individuals who were associated with academic pursuits or scholarly activities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname SCHOLAR can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where a certain John le Scolere is mentioned. This document provides valuable insights into the widespread use of occupational surnames during the medieval period.
Throughout the centuries, the SCHOLAR surname has undergone various spelling variations, including Scoler, Scolere, and Scholer, reflecting the evolving nature of English orthography. These variations can be found in historical records, such as parish registers and tax rolls from different regions of England.
Notable individuals who bore the SCHOLAR surname include William Scoler (c. 1390-1460), a renowned English cleric and scholar who served as the Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. Another prominent figure was John Scholer (c. 1495-1559), a Protestant reformer and theologian who played a significant role in the English Reformation.
During the 16th century, the surname SCHOLAR was also associated with the family of Sir John Scholar (1521-1583), a distinguished lawyer and member of the English gentry. His descendants continued to hold influential positions in various fields, including academia and government.
In the realm of literature, one cannot overlook the contributions of Thomas Scholar (1678-1753), an English poet and playwright who gained recognition for his works in the early 18th century.
As the surname SCHOLAR evolved over time, it became closely linked with intellectual pursuits and the pursuit of knowledge. Many prominent scholars, academics, and intellectuals bore this surname, reflecting the rich heritage and profound respect for learning associated with this name.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Scholar.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Scholar was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 86.22% | 244 |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | 7.07% | 20 |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 2.12% | 6 |
Hispanic Origin | 3.89% | 11 |
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 Scholar has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
White | 86.22% | 87.05% | -0.96% |
Black | 7.07% | 8.27% | -15.65% |
Asian and Pacific Islander | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | 0.00% | (S)% |
Two or More Races | 2.12% | (S)% | (S)% |
Hispanic | 3.89% | 2.88% | 29.84% |
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 Scholar was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/scholar-surname-popularity/">Scholar last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Scholar last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on August 8, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/scholar-surname-popularity/.
"Scholar last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/scholar-surname-popularity/. Accessed 8 August, 2025
Scholar last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/scholar-surname-popularity/.
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