Explore the Family Name Alcott
The meaning of Alcott
English: ostensibly a topographic name from any of a large number of places called in Old English as ‘the old cottage’ (Old English (e)ald + cot(e)). In fact, however, it is generally an altered form of Alcock, in part at least for euphemistic reasons. History: Louisa May Alcott (1832–88), author of Little Women (1869), was the daughter of Amos Bronson Alcott (1799–1888), who had changed the surname from Alcox. The family trace their descent from an Alcocke family who emigrated from England to MA with John Winthrop (see Winthrop) in 1630.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Alcott in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Alcott had a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the name ranked 17,911th in popularity, but by 2010 it dropped to 18,253rd, marking a change of -1.91%. Despite this drop in ranking, the actual count of individuals with the last name Alcott increased from 1,440 to 1,522 over the same period — a rise of 5.69%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #17,911 | #18,253 | -1.91% |
| Count | 1,440 | 1,522 | 5.69% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.53 | 0.52 | -1.89% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Alcott
Referring to the ethnic identity associated with the surname Alcott, data from the Decennial U.S. Census indicates certain shifts between 2000 and 2010. The proportion of Alcotts identifying as white decreased by 2.20%, while those identifying as Black saw a substantial increase of 75.82%. The representation of American Indian and Alaskan Natives also rose by 16.27%. Minor changes were noted for those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (an increase of 4.76%) and Hispanic (an increase of 4.79%). The proportion of Alcotts identifying with two or more races remained stable at 1.25%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 90.49% | 88.5% | -2.2% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 4.24% | 4.93% | 16.27% |
| Black | 1.53% | 2.69% | 75.82% |
| Hispanic | 1.88% | 1.97% | 4.79% |
| Two or More Races | 1.25% | 1.25% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.63% | 0.66% | 4.76% |