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

Ussher, 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 Ussher surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ussher in America

Ussher is the 154907th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ussher surname appeared 105 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Ussher.

The history of the last name Ussher

The surname Ussher has its origins in Ireland, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic word "ussair," meaning "usher" or "doorkeeper." The name is believed to have originated in County Wicklow, where it was associated with a family that held the hereditary position of ushers to the Lords of Leinster.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Ussher name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The annals reference an individual named Gilla na Naemh Ua Usair, who died in 1169.

The surname Ussher gained prominence during the Elizabethan era, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One of the most famous was James Ussher (1581-1656), an Anglo-Irish Protestant bishop and scholar who is best known for his work on biblical chronology and his calculation of the date of creation as October 23, 4004 BC.

Another prominent figure was Henry Ussher (1550-1613), an Irish-born Anglican priest and theologian who served as Archdeacon of Dublin. He was also the father of James Ussher, the aforementioned biblical scholar.

In the 17th century, Christopher Ussher (1614-1677) was an Irish politician and landowner who served as a member of the Irish House of Commons. He was also a staunch supporter of the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.

During the same period, Ambrose Ussher (1619-1679) was an Irish-born Anglican priest and author who served as Archdeacon of Armagh and wrote several religious works, including "A Body of Divinity" and "The Principles of Christian Religion."

In more recent history, Arland Ussher (1899-1980) was a British architect and urban planner who played a significant role in the reconstruction of London after World War II. He also served as the president of the Royal Institute of British Architects from 1959 to 1961.

The name Ussher has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Usshers Island in County Kilkenny and Ussherton in County Westmeath, reflecting the historical presence of families bearing this surname in those regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ussher

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

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 Ussher 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.

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

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

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