Explore the Family Name Iron
The meaning of Iron
1. Native American: translation into English (and shortening) of a personal name based on a word, such as Lakota and Dakota Sioux maza, meaning ‘metal’. Among the Sioux, many of their traditional personal names with this element were adopted as surnames (translated into English), e.g. Iron Cloud (see Ironcloud) and Iron Hawk (see Ironhawk). 2. English: nickname perhaps from Middle English iron, the name of a bird, possibly a variant of Middle English ern ‘eagle’ (Old English earn) or of Middle English heroun ‘heron’ (Old French heirun).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Iron in the United States?
The surname 'Iron' has seen a slight decrease in popularity over the past decade, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, it ranked 66,878 in popularity among all surnames, with 276 individuals bearing the name. A decade later, it dropped to 72,332 in rank, with only 269 individuals reported with the surname, marking a decline of 2.54 percent. This slight dip also corresponded with a decrease in the proportion of the surname per 100,000 people, going down from 0.1 in 2000 to 0.09 in 2010, a drop of 10 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #66,878 | #72,332 | -8.16% |
| Count | 276 | 269 | -2.54% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.1 | 0.09 | -10% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Iron
When it comes to the ethnic identity associated with the 'Iron' surname, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census offers some interesting insights. The majority of individuals with this surname identified as American Indian and Alaskan Native, making up 55.07 percent of the count in 2000 and rising slightly to 56.13 percent in 2010. The second most common ethnicity was Black, making up 21.01 percent in 2000 and increasing marginally to 21.19 percent in 2010. The proportion of those identifying as White saw a significant drop from 17.75 percent to 13.38 percent. There was no change in the percentage of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander or as belonging to two or more races. However, the proportion of those reporting Hispanic ethnicity saw a substantial increase, rising from 3.62 percent in 2000 to 6.32 percent in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 55.07% | 56.13% | 1.92% |
| Black | 21.01% | 21.19% | 0.86% |
| White | 17.75% | 13.38% | -24.62% |
| Hispanic | 3.62% | 6.32% | 74.59% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |