Explore the Family Name Apache
The meaning of Apache
Native American (Navajo): ethnic name from the name of the Apache people, denoting a member of this people or of any of the Navajo clans with the Apache ancestry such as Naashgalí dine’é ‘Mescalero Apache People’. The name Apache is believed to be from the plural form of the Zuni name paču ‘Navajo’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Apache in the United States?
The surname “Apache” has seen a slight increase in popularity over the years, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, it ranked 82,019 in popularity with a count of 214 individuals bearing this surname. By 2010, however, it had risen in rank to 77,788, an improvement by approximately 5.16%. The count rose to 246, marking a growth of nearly 15%. Despite these changes, the proportion of the surname per 100,000 people remained steady at 0.08.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #82,019 | #77,788 | 5.16% |
| Count | 214 | 246 | 14.95% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.08 | 0.08 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Apache
The ethnic identity associated with the surname "Apache" also presents some interesting shifts based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census. The largest group identifying as Apache remains American Indian and Alaskan Native, with a slight increase of 0.09% between 2000 and 2010. This category accounted for 77.57% in 2000 and 77.64% in 2010. Those identifying as White decreased slightly from 12.15% to 11.79%. The number of people identifying as Hispanic saw a significant rise from 5.61% to 8.13%, a change of almost 45%. There was no recorded Asian/Pacific Islander or Black affiliation with the surname during either census year. Meanwhile, those claiming two or more races declined considerably, dropping by 45.72% in the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 77.57% | 77.64% | 0.09% |
| White | 12.15% | 11.79% | -2.96% |
| Hispanic | 5.61% | 8.13% | 44.92% |
| Two or More Races | 3.74% | 2.03% | -45.72% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |