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

Straw, 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 Straw surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Straw in America

Straw is the 8356th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Straw surname appeared 3,962 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Straw.

We can also compare 2010 data for Straw 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 Straw

The surname Straw originates from England and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is an occupational name, derived from the Old English word "streaw," meaning straw, and was likely given to someone who worked with straw or lived near a place where straw was grown or sold.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where a man named Simon Straw is mentioned. The name also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, indicating its presence in different regions of England during the medieval period.

In the 14th century, the Straw family held lands in the county of Essex, and a member named John Straw gained notoriety as the leader of the Peasants' Revolt in 1381. This uprising against the oppressive policies of the ruling class played a significant role in English history and highlighted the growing discontent among the common people.

Throughout the centuries, the Straw surname has been subject to various spelling variations, such as Strawe, Strau, and Strau. Some of these variations can be found in historical records, including the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk from 1230, where a person named Robert Strau is documented.

In the 16th century, a notable figure with the Straw surname was William Straw (c. 1505–1558), an English Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake during the Marian persecutions for his religious beliefs. His unwavering commitment to his faith made him a prominent figure in the Protestant movement of that era.

Another influential individual with the Straw surname was Sir Richard Straw (1671–1737), an English lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench from 1719 to 1724. His contributions to the legal profession and his role in upholding the law during a time of political turmoil have been recognized by historians.

The Straw surname has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Straw Farm in Wiltshire and Straw's Bridge in Somerset. These place names likely originated from individuals or families bearing the Straw surname who lived or owned land in those areas.

Over the centuries, the Straw surname has been carried by numerous individuals, including poets, scholars, and politicians, contributing to the rich tapestry of English history and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Straw

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

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

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

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