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

Strain, 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 Strain surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Strain in America

Strain is the 3999th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Strain surname appeared 8,883 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Strain.

We can also compare 2010 data for Strain 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 Strain

The surname Strain has its origins in Scotland, tracing back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "strind" or the Middle English word "strene," both meaning "stream" or "river." This suggests that the name may have originated as a descriptive surname for someone who lived near a stream or river.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Strain can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "Strene" in this historical record, indicating its presence in Scotland during that time period.

In the 14th century, the surname Strain appears in various Scottish records, often in reference to individuals from the regions of Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and Renfrewshire. The name may have been associated with specific places, such as Straiton in Ayrshire or Strathaven in Lanarkshire, further reinforcing its connection to geographical features.

Notable individuals with the surname Strain include Sir John Strain (1619-1687), a Scottish merchant and landowner who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1665 to 1667. Another prominent figure was Robert Strain (1718-1787), a Scottish philosopher and mathematician who made significant contributions to the field of optics.

In the 19th century, William Strain (1821-1892) was a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Canadian House of Commons. Additionally, John Strain (1835-1915) was a Scottish-American civil engineer and inventor known for his contributions to the development of early typewriters.

One particularly notable individual was Isabel Strain (1915-2005), a Scottish artist and illustrator renowned for her children's book illustrations, including those for the popular "Babar the Elephant" series by Jean de Brunhoff.

The surname Strain has a rich history rooted in Scotland, with its origins dating back to the 12th century. While it may have initially been a descriptive name related to geographical features, it has since become a prominent surname associated with various notable figures throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Strain

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

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

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

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