Explore the Family Name Clinch
The meaning of Clinch
1. Irish (Dublin, Wexford): from Mac Loingsigh, see McGlinchey and Lynch. 2. English: habitational name from one or more of the various places with names deriving from Old English clenc ‘lump, mass; hill; elevated land in a fen’, such as Clinch Green in Northiam (Sussex), Clench in Milton Lilborne, and Clinghill in Bromham (both Wiltshire). Also perhaps a topographic name for someone who lived by such a feature. 3. English: possibly also a metonymic occupational name for a maker or fixer of bolts and rivets, from Middle English clinch, clench ‘door nail secured by riveting or clinching’, from clench(en) ‘to fix firmly’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Clinch in the United States?
According to data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Clinch saw a slight decrease in rank from 2000 to 2010, moving from 25,123rd place to 25,459th. However, the overall count of individuals with this surname increased by approximately 4.86%, with the total number growing from 926 people in 2000 to 971 in 2010. The proportion of people with the surname Clinch per 100,000 decreased slightly, from 0.34 to 0.33.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #25,123 | #25,459 | -1.34% |
| Count | 926 | 971 | 4.86% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.34 | 0.33 | -2.94% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Clinch
On the matter of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the majority of individuals with the surname Clinch identify as White, although this proportion decreased slightly from 82.29% in 2000 to 78.89% in 2010. The percentage of those identifying as Black increased modestly from 13.17% to 14.73%. There was a notable increase in individuals identifying as Hispanic, rising from 3.13% to 4.84%. Those identifying as belonging to two or more races also increased, from 0.76% to 1.13%. No information was available for those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native for privacy reasons.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 82.29% | 78.89% | -4.13% |
| Black | 13.17% | 14.73% | 11.85% |
| Hispanic | 3.13% | 4.84% | 54.63% |
| Two or More Races | 0.76% | 1.13% | 48.68% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.65% | 0% | 0% |