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

Underhill, 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 Underhill surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Underhill in America

Underhill is the 5119th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Underhill surname appeared 6,839 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Underhill.

We can also compare 2010 data for Underhill 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 Underhill

The surname Underhill originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period. It is a locational name that refers to someone who lived near or under a hill. The name is derived from the Old English words "under" and "hyll," which literally translate to "under the hill."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Underhill can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Underhille." This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England.

During the medieval period, the surname Underhill was particularly prevalent in the counties of Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk in eastern England. This region had many settlements with names containing the word "hill," reflecting the area's topography.

In the 13th century, the name appeared as "Underhull" in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire. This was a record of landowners and tenants in the county during the reign of King Edward I.

One notable figure with the surname Underhill was John Underhill, a Puritan military officer born in 1597. He played a significant role in the Pequot War of 1636-1637 in New England and later served as the governor of the Saybrook Colony.

Another prominent individual was Edward Underhill, a Baptist minister born in 1638. He was arrested and imprisoned several times for his religious beliefs and is remembered for his contributions to the early Baptist movement in England.

In the 18th century, Samuel Underhill (1715-1768) was a renowned English engraver and painter, known for his exquisite portrait miniatures and historical paintings.

The Underhill family also had a presence in the American colonies. Captain John Underhill (1608-1672) was a prominent military leader who fought in the Pequot War and the English Civil War before settling in New York.

George Gaskell Underhill (1796-1829) was a British naval officer and explorer who participated in several expeditions to the Arctic regions, including the ill-fated voyage of HMS Fury in 1825.

Overall, the surname Underhill has a rich history spanning several centuries and can be traced back to its Anglo-Saxon origins in England. It has been associated with various notable individuals throughout history, from military leaders and religious figures to artists and explorers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Underhill

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

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

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

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