Explore the Family Name Body
The meaning of Body
1. English: from Middle English bodi ‘body, trunk, chest’ (Old English bodig), a nickname for someone with a large physique. 2. English: variant of Bode with final -e becoming -y, a feature of names in Sussex. 3. French: variant of Bodin. 4. Hungarian (Bódy): variant of Bódi (see Bodi).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Body in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname "Body" has seen a slight shift in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 14,641st most popular surname, but by 2010, it dropped to the 15,099th spot. This represents a decrease in rank of approximately 3.13%. However, the overall count of individuals with the "Body" surname increased by nearly 5%, from 1,863 in 2000 to 1,954 in 2010. This suggests that despite its slip in ranking, the "Body" surname saw an upturn in usage over this decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,641 | #15,099 | -3.13% |
| Count | 1,863 | 1,954 | 4.88% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.69 | 0.66 | -4.35% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Body
Regarding ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals some fluctuation in the ethnic identities associated with the surname "Body". The proportion of people with this surname who identify as Black marginally increased from 55.18% in 2000 to 57.11% in 2010, while those identifying as White saw a decrease of about 11.06% over the same period. There was also a small increase in individuals identifying as Hispanic, rising from 1.5% in 2000 to 1.89% in 2010. Interestingly, there were no reported instances of the surname among Asian/Pacific Islanders and American Indians and Alaskan Natives in 2000, but by 2010, these groups made up 0.72% and 0.41% respectively. Additionally, the percentage of individuals with this surname identifying with two or more races saw a significant jump from 1.93% to 3.58%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 55.18% | 57.11% | 3.5% |
| White | 40.79% | 36.28% | -11.06% |
| Two or More Races | 1.93% | 3.58% | 85.49% |
| Hispanic | 1.5% | 1.89% | 26% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.72% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.41% | 0% |