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

Skye, 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 Skye surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Skye in America

Skye is the 45347th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Skye surname appeared 472 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 Skye.

We can also compare 2010 data for Skye 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 Skye

The surname Skye originated in the Hebrides, an archipelago off the west coast of mainland Scotland. It is a locational name derived from the Isle of Skye, one of the major islands in the Hebrides. The name Skye comes from the Old Norse word "skið," meaning "cloud" or "mist," which is fitting for the often misty and cloudy weather conditions on the island.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Skye can be traced back to the 13th century. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Gillechrist Skyeman, who was mentioned in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1264. The Exchequer Rolls were financial records kept by the Scottish government, indicating that the Skye surname was already established by that time.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in the form "Schytheman" in the Chronicle of Lanercost, an English chronicle written by the canons of Lanercost Priory in Cumbria. This variant spelling suggests that the name was originally pronounced with a hard "ch" sound, reflecting its Norse origins.

One notable historical figure with the Skye surname was Sir John Skye (c. 1495 - c. 1560), a Scottish priest and diplomat who served as the Lord Clerk Register of Scotland during the reigns of James V and Mary, Queen of Scots.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Gilbert Skye (c. 1540 - 1596), a Scottish minister and reformer who played a significant role in the Scottish Reformation. He was appointed as the first Protestant minister of the parish of Longformacus in Berwickshire.

In the 17th century, the Skye surname was recorded in various forms, such as "Skay," "Skayie," and "Skaie," reflecting the local dialects and spelling variations of the time.

One of the most famous individuals with the Skye surname was Sir John Skye (1634 - 1688), a Scottish lawyer and judge who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland and later as Lord Justice Clerk, the second-highest judge in the country.

The Skye surname has also been connected to several place names in Scotland, such as Skyehill in Angus and Skyefield in Perthshire, suggesting that bearers of the name may have originated from or owned lands in these areas.

Throughout history, the Skye surname has been associated with the rugged and remote Isle of Skye, reflecting the strong connection between the name and the Scottish Highlands and Islands.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Skye

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

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

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

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