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

Skeet, 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 Skeet surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Skeet in America

Skeet is the 54418th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Skeet surname appeared 379 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 Skeet.

We can also compare 2010 data for Skeet 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 Skeet

The surname Skeet has its origins in medieval England, tracing back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "scyt," which means "to shoot" or "to project." This suggests that the name may have originated as an occupational surname for an archer or someone skilled in using a bow and arrow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Skeet can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire, a census-like record compiled in 1273. This document mentions a person named William Skeet, providing evidence of the name's existence during that time period.

In the 14th century, the name Skeet appeared in various other historical records, including the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire from 1349, which mentioned a John Skeet. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from 1327 listed a Richard Skete, indicating a slight variation in the spelling.

The Domesday Book, a highly valuable historical record compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror, does not contain any direct references to the surname Skeet. However, it does mention several place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as Skeyton in Norfolk and Skeffinton in Leicestershire.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname Skeet. One of the earliest was John Skeet (c. 1550-1612), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Bishop of Bristol from 1608 until his death.

Another prominent figure was Andrew McDougall Skeet (1833-1877), a Scottish-born explorer and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of Australian flora and fauna. He conducted extensive expeditions in the Australian outback and was instrumental in the discovery of several new plant and animal species.

In the realm of sports, Garry Skeet (1927-2009) was a renowned English cricketer who played for Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club and represented England in Test matches during the 1950s.

The name Skeet also gained prominence in the field of acting with the late Michael Skeet (1942-2022), a British actor best known for his roles in television series such as "Bergerac" and "Heartbeat."

Additionally, Sir Graham Skeet (born 1946) is a distinguished British mathematician and computer scientist who made significant contributions to the development of programming languages and compiler design.

While the surname Skeet is not among the most common in the English-speaking world, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been borne by notable individuals across various fields, showcasing the diverse legacies associated with this surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Skeet

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

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

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

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