Explore the Family Name Ashkenazi
The meaning of Ashkenazi
Jewish: nickname applied by Jews in Slavic countries for a Jew from Germany; it was also used to denote a Yiddish-speaking Jew who hadsettled in an area where non-Ashkenazic Jews were in the majority. Ashkenaz is a Biblical placename (Genesis 10:3, Jeremiah 51: 27), etymologically related to Greek Skythia ‘Scythia’. However, since the 9th century ad, if not earlier, it has been applied to Germany. Some characteristic forenames: Jewish Chaim, Zalman, Anshel, Avi, Avraham, Batia, Gilad, Hershel, Liat, Shaul. Russian Aleksandr, Anatoliy.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ashkenazi in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Ashkenazi has seen an increase in its popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 62,396 but by 2010, it had jumped to 40,204 reflecting a significant change of 35.57%. Similarly, the count of individuals bearing this surname also increased from 300 in 2000 to 545 in 2010, a sharp increase of 81.67%. The proportion per 100k people also grew by 63.64% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #62,396 | #40,204 | 35.57% |
| Count | 300 | 545 | 81.67% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.11 | 0.18 | 63.64% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ashkenazi
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that the Ashkenazi surname is predominantly associated with individuals who identify as White. The percentage of those identifying as White rose from 86% in 2000 to almost 96% in 2010, marking an 11.58% change. There was a slight increase in the number of people identifying as Hispanic from 2.33% in 2000 to 2.57% in 2010. However, there were no people identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native. Interestingly, while in 2000, there were 10.33% of people identifying with two or more races, this category was not represented in the 2010 Census data.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 86% | 95.96% | 11.58% |
| Hispanic | 2.33% | 2.57% | 10.3% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 10.33% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |