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

Urquhart, 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 Urquhart surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Urquhart in America

Urquhart is the 7578th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Urquhart surname appeared 4,385 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 Urquhart.

We can also compare 2010 data for Urquhart 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 Urquhart

The surname Urquhart originated in Scotland, specifically in the Moray region, where the name is derived from the Gaelic words 'ur' meaning 'new' and 'cath' meaning 'fort' or 'battlefield'. The name likely originated in the Middle Ages, referring to a new fortification or settlement established after a battle.

The surname Urquhart can be traced back to the 12th century, with records of the Urquhart family holding lands in the area that became known as Urquhart Castle, near Loch Ness. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in a charter from the reign of King Alexander II of Scotland, dated around 1226, which mentions Adam de Urquhart.

The Urquhart family played a significant role in Scottish history, with members serving as knights, clergymen, and military leaders. In the 14th century, Sir Thomas Urquhart was a prominent figure in the Wars of Scottish Independence, fighting alongside Robert the Bruce against the English.

In the 16th century, Sir Thomas Urquhart of Cromarty (1611-1660) was a renowned Scottish writer and translator, best known for his work "The Jewel", a translation of the works of the French philosopher Rabelais. He was also involved in the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.

Another notable bearer of the name was William Urquhart (1841-1919), a Scottish politician and Member of Parliament for the Moray and Nairn constituency. He served as a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury and was later appointed to the Privy Council.

Other historical figures with the surname Urquhart include Robert Urquhart (1677-1741), a Scottish Episcopal bishop and historian, and John Urquhart (1820-1889), a Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Senate of Canada.

Throughout history, the surname Urquhart has been recorded with various spellings, such as Urchard, Urquard, and Urquert, reflecting the evolution of language and regional variations. The name has also been associated with several place names in Scotland, such as Urquhart Bay and Urquhart Glen, further solidifying its Scottish roots and historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Urquhart

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

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

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

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