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

Squires, 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 Squires surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Squires in America

Squires is the 2574th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Squires surname appeared 14,045 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Squires.

We can also compare 2010 data for Squires 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 Squires

The surname Squires originated in England during the medieval period. It is an occupational name derived from the Old French word "esquire," which referred to a man who attended a knight and carried his shield and other equipment. The name Squires is a variant spelling of the word "esquire."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Squires can be found in various historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries. For example, the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire in 1273, where a William le Esquier is mentioned. The name is also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, which lists a John le Squyer.

During the medieval period, the name Squires was primarily concentrated in the counties of Worcestershire, Warwickshire, and Staffordshire. However, over time, the name spread to other parts of England as well. Some notable individuals with the surname Squires from this era include Sir John Squire, a knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War (c. 1337-1453), and Robert Squire, a member of the Parliament of England in 1391.

As the surname Squires evolved, various spellings emerged, such as Squyer, Squier, and Squyer. These variations can be found in various historical records, including the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1428, which mentions a William Squyer, and the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1486, which lists a John Squier.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Squires continued to be prevalent in England. One notable figure from this time was Edward Squire, a Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake in Wingham, Kent, in 1555 during the reign of Queen Mary I. Another notable individual was Sir John Squire, a Member of Parliament and landowner from Lincolnshire, who lived from 1586 to 1658.

As time progressed, the surname Squires spread beyond England to other parts of the British Isles and, eventually, to the colonies in North America and other parts of the world. Some notable individuals with the surname Squires from later periods include Sir William Squire (1809-1878), an English businessman and Member of Parliament, and Ethelbert Squire (1841-1912), an English-born American architect who designed several notable buildings in New York City.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Squires

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

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

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

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