Explore the Family Name Argue
The meaning of Argue
1. Irish: probably from Gaelic Mac Giolla Fhearga ‘son of the servant of (Saint) Fearga’. In Ireland this surname is found mainly in County Cavan and may also appear as McIlhargy (see McHargue). 2. French: probably from a personal name based on the ancient Germanic element arg ‘vicious’ or Gaulish argos ‘brilliant’. This surname is very rare in France; in North America it may thus (also) be an altered form of some other similar (like-sounding) French surname, perhaps Argoud or Argaud (from the ancient Germanic personal name Argwald ‘fierce governor’) or Argoux (from the ancient Germanic personal name Argwulf ‘raging wolf’).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Argue in the United States?
Based on the data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname 'Argue' experienced a slight dip in popularity between 2000 and 2010. Although the number of individuals with this surname increased by nearly 4 percent to a total of 716, its rank fell by 1.72 percent, moving from 31,658 to 32,203. Consequently, the proportion of people named Argue per 100,000 decreased by 7.69 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #31,658 | #32,203 | -1.72% |
| Count | 690 | 716 | 3.77% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.26 | 0.24 | -7.69% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Argue
Diving into the ethnic identity associated with the surname 'Argue', again according to the Decennial U.S. Census, most bearers of this name identified as White in both 2000 and 2010, with a small increase over this decade. The percentage of those identifying as Black also rose slightly, while the proportion of individuals identifying with two or more races saw a significant decrease. An interesting observation is the rise in Hispanic bearers of the surname 'Argue', which increased by over 20 percent. There were no recorded instances of the surname among Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native communities in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 85.94% | 87.01% | 1.25% |
| Black | 9.42% | 10.06% | 6.79% |
| Hispanic | 1.16% | 1.4% | 20.69% |
| Two or More Races | 3.19% | 0.84% | -73.67% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |