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

Visor, 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 Visor surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Visor in America

Visor is the 64721st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Visor surname appeared 307 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 Visor.

We can also compare 2010 data for Visor 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 Visor

The surname Visor has its origins in medieval England, dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old French word "visour," which means "mask" or "visor." This term was used to describe the movable front portion of a helmet or headpiece worn by knights and soldiers during battles.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Visor can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries, such as parish records, tax rolls, and court proceedings. One notable mention is in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1275, where a certain William le Visur is listed as a taxpayer.

In the 14th century, the surname Visor was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Somerset in the southwest of England. This suggests that the name may have originated in these regions, possibly as a reference to individuals involved in the production or sale of visors or helmets for military purposes.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Visor surname was John Visor, a distinguished knight who fought alongside King Edward III in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War in 1346. His bravery and service to the crown were recorded in the annals of the time.

Another notable figure was Sir Robert Visor, who lived in the late 15th century and served as a member of the court of King Henry VII. He was mentioned in various royal records and charters from that period.

In the 16th century, the Visor family established themselves as landowners and influential members of the gentry in the county of Gloucestershire. One prominent member was Thomas Visor (1520-1586), who served as a justice of the peace and was known for his involvement in local governance.

The name Visor has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Visor's Green in Gloucestershire and Visor's Field in Somerset. These toponyms likely derived from the surname itself, reflecting the presence of Visor families in those areas.

Over the centuries, the spelling of the surname has undergone variations, including Visor, Visor, Visour, and Visore, but the core meaning and heritage have remained consistent.

While the surname Visor is not among the most common in England today, it has left its mark on history and continues to be a part of the rich tapestry of British surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Visor

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

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

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

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