Explore the Family Name Innocent
The meaning of Innocent
1. French, West Indian (mainly Haiti), and African (mainly Nigeria and Tanzania): from the French and English personal name Innocent, Latin Innocentius, from innocens ‘harmless, non-violent’. This was borne by several Christian saints, including a 4th-century bishop of Tortona, Italy, and a 6th-century bishop of Le Mans, France. This surname was brought to the US mostly from Haiti and Nigeria. 2. English (Yorkshire): nickname from Old French, Middle English innocent ‘innocent, holy, saintly’. Some characteristic forenames: French/Haitian Francois, Dominique, Ernst, Flavie, Fresnel, Fritz, Jean Claude, Jean-Robert, Johann, Magalie, Mathurin, Pierre, Regine, Remy, Reynald.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Innocent in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Innocent increased significantly from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 22,706th most popular surname in the United States, but by 2010, it had risen to 17,432nd place, representing a significant change of approximately 23.23%. Similarly, the count of individuals with the surname Innocent also saw a considerable increase of about 53.22%, moving from 1,056 in 2000 to 1,618 in 2010. Consequently, the proportion of individuals with this surname per 100,000 people also increased by 41.03% over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #22,706 | #17,432 | 23.23% |
| Count | 1,056 | 1,618 | 53.22% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.39 | 0.55 | 41.03% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Innocent
In terms of the ethnicity associated with the surname Innocent, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals interesting shifts between 2000 and 2010. The surname is predominantly found within the Black community, which showed an increase of 18.99% over the decade. However, there was a notable decrease of 79.49% among those identifying with two or more ethnicities. The White and Hispanic communities also saw decreases in the usage of the surname Innocent, with drops of 31.60% and 12.36% respectively. There were no recorded instances of the surname amongst Asian/Pacific Islanders and American Indian and Alaskan Natives during both census years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 71.21% | 84.73% | 18.99% |
| White | 13.83% | 9.46% | -31.6% |
| Hispanic | 2.75% | 2.41% | -12.36% |
| Two or More Races | 11.46% | 2.35% | -79.49% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |