Explore the Family Name Jennifer
The meaning of Jennifer
English: 1. from the Middle English female personal name Gweniver, Geniever, Jenever, Juniver, an Anglo-Norman borrowing and adaptation of Welsh Gwenhwyvar (gwen ‘fair, white’ + (g)wyfar ‘smooth, soft, yielding’), which became widely known through the name of King Arthur’s wife in French and English medieval romances. 2. nickname from Middle English janiver, jenever, geniver (Old French geniver), the name of the month of January.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Jennifer in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Jennifer has seen a considerable decline between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Jennifer ranked 45,482nd in popularity among U.S. surnames; however, by 2010, it had dropped to 65,782nd – a decrease of 44.63%. This is further reflected in the count of people bearing the surname, which fell from 443 in 2000 to 301 in 2010, indicating a 32.05% drop. Similarly, the proportion of people with the surname Jennifer per 100,000 population also decreased, from 0.16 in 2000 to 0.1 in 2010, representing a 37.5% decrease.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #45,482 | #65,782 | -44.63% |
| Count | 443 | 301 | -32.05% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.16 | 0.1 | -37.5% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Jennifer
The Decennial U.S. Census also provides insight into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Jennifer. Between 2000 and 2010, there was a notable increase in the percentage of individuals with this surname identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (from 2.26% to 2.66%) and Hispanic (from 7.90% to 13.29%). The proportion of those identifying as Black also slightly increased, from 20.32% in 2000 to 21.93% in 2010. However, the percentage of individuals identifying as White decreased from 67.27% in 2000 to 60.80% by 2010. There were no recorded changes in the categories of 'Two or more races' and 'American Indian and Alaskan Native', with both remaining at 0% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 67.27% | 60.8% | -9.62% |
| Black | 20.32% | 21.93% | 7.92% |
| Hispanic | 7.9% | 13.29% | 68.23% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 2.26% | 2.66% | 17.7% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |