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

Skinaway, 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 Skinaway surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Skinaway in America

Skinaway is the 157234th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Skinaway surname appeared 103 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 Skinaway.

We can also compare 2010 data for Skinaway 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 Skinaway

The surname Skinaway has its origins in the rural English county of Shropshire during the late 16th century. It is believed to have derived from a Middle English phrase "skyn awei", which roughly translates to "to flay or strip off the skin". This phrase may have originally referred to an occupation involving skinning animals, such as a tanner or furrier.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Skinaway surname can be found in the parish records of the village of Wem, Shropshire, where a William Skinaway was christened in 1592. This area, located near the Welsh border, was known for its thriving leather and tanning industries at the time, lending credence to the occupational origin of the name.

In the 17th century, variations of the spelling began to emerge, including Skynaway, Skinnaway, and Skinnawaye. These spellings can be found in various church records and legal documents from the region.

During the English Civil War (1642-1651), a soldier named John Skinaway is noted in the muster rolls of the Parliamentarian forces. His service to the Roundhead cause suggests the family may have held Puritan leanings during this tumultuous period of English history.

The Skinaway name also appears to have spread beyond Shropshire in the 18th century. In 1734, a Robert Skinaway was born in the village of Wootton, Oxfordshire. He later became a successful merchant in London, where he established a prosperous trading company.

Another notable bearer of the Skinaway surname was Elizabeth Skinaway (1765-1842), a renowned botanist and naturalist from Northamptonshire. Her extensive collection of preserved plant specimens and detailed journals contributed significantly to the study of British flora at the time.

As the Industrial Revolution took hold in the 19th century, many Skinaways migrated to urban centers in search of employment. One such individual was James Skinaway (1822-1901), a skilled metalworker who played a pivotal role in the construction of the famous Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol.

Throughout its history, the Skinaway surname has maintained a strong connection to its rural roots and occupational beginnings, while also spreading across various regions of England and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Skinaway

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

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

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

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