Explore the Family Name Alvin

The meaning of Alvin

1. English: from the Middle English personal name Alvin or Alfwin, from Old English Ælfwine ‘elf friend’. Compare Alwin and Elvin. 2. Swedish: ornamental name from alv ‘elf’ + the adjectival suffix -in, a derivative of Latin -in(i)us ‘relating to’.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Alvin in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Alvin has seen a slight increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the name was ranked 22,891 with 1,044 people carrying this surname, representing a proportion of 0.39 per 100,000 people. By 2010, the ranking improved to 22,827 with an increased count of 1,122 individuals, a growth rate of 7.47%. However, the proportion per 100,000 people slightly reduced by 2.56% over the same period.

20002010Change
Rank#22,891#22,8270.28%
Count1,0441,1227.47%
Proportion per 100k0.390.38-2.56%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Alvin

When it comes to ethnicity, data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows that the ethnic identity associated with the surname Alvin has diversified over the years. In 2000, the majority of those with the surname identified as either white (46.74%) or Black (45.21%), while a smaller proportion identified as Asian/Pacific Islander (2.01%) or Hispanic (4.12%). By 2010, there was a notable shift with an increase in the percentage identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (3.57%, a 77.61% change) and Black (48.48%, a 7.23% change). The percentage of Hispanics also rose slightly to 4.55%. However, there was a decrease in the percentage of those identifying as White to 40.64%, marking a 13.05% drop. No significant changes were observed for those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native or belonging to two or more races.

20002010Change
Black45.21%48.48%7.23%
White46.74%40.64%-13.05%
Hispanic4.12%4.55%10.44%
Asian/Pacific Islander2.01%3.57%77.61%
Two or More Races0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%