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

Skinner, 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 Skinner surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Skinner in America

Skinner is the 627th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Skinner surname appeared 54,046 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 18 people would have the surname Skinner.

We can also compare 2010 data for Skinner 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 Skinner

The surname Skinner originated in England and Scotland during the late medieval period. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English word "scinnere," meaning a dealer or worker in skins or hides. The name typically referred to a person who prepared and sold animal skins, a crucial trade in the days before large-scale textile manufacturing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Skinner can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a John le Skinnere is mentioned in Oxfordshire. The Skinners are also mentioned in the records of the City of London, where they formed a guild or company in 1311, indicating the prominence of their trade in the medieval era.

In Scotland, the name Skinner has a particularly strong association with the town of Montrose in Angus. Many historic records, such as the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, mention Skinners from Montrose, suggesting that the trade was well-established in that region.

Renowned individuals with the surname Skinner include John Skinner (1721-1807), a Scottish Episcopal bishop and poet. Another notable figure was Quentin Skinner (1940-2017), a renowned British historian and academic, who made significant contributions to the study of political thought.

Thomas Skinner (1804-1877) was an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Boston. In the United States, Otis Skinner (1858-1942) was a prominent actor and playwright, known for his performances in various Shakespeare productions.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Skinner in America is that of Parson Thomas Skinner, who arrived in Boston in 1636 and became a prominent minister in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He was also involved in the founding of Harvard College.

The surname Skinner has a rich history rooted in the medieval trade of skins and hides, reflecting the importance of this craft in the past. While its origins are occupational, the name has been carried by notable individuals across various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Skinner

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

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

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

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