Explore the Family Name Jew
The meaning of Jew
1. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 周, see Zhou 1. 2. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surnames 趙 and 招, see Zhao 1 and 2. 3. English: nickname from Middle English Jeu, Old French giu ‘Jew’, applied to someone (whether Jewish or not) who was suspected of usury or who drove a hard bargain. In medieval England only Jews could legally lend money for profit, but they were expelled in 1290 and were not officially allowed to return and settle until the late 17th century, well after the main period of English surname creation. 4. English: from the Middle English personal name Jewe, also found as Julle, Gelle, Golle, Jowe, and Juwe, a pet form of the male name Julian or the female name Juliane (also Gellian). See Julian and compare Gill 3 and Gillian. Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Ming, Jung, Sing, Wai Mun, Wing, Choi, Chun, Chun Mei, Chun Ying, Fong, Gong, Kam Oi.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Jew in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname 'Jew' has seen a slight shift between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 18,373 in popularity with 1,390 individuals carrying this surname. However, by 2010, it dropped to rank 19,105, despite an increase in the count to 1,424 individuals, indicating a change of -3.98 in rank and an increase of 2.45 in count. This translates to a proportion per 100k drop from 0.52 in 2000 to 0.48 in 2010, marking a decrease of -7.69.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #18,373 | #19,105 | -3.98% |
| Count | 1,390 | 1,424 | 2.45% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.52 | 0.48 | -7.69% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Jew
Looking at the ethnic identity associated with the surname 'Jew', the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some changes between 2000 and 2010. The largest ethnicity group remains the Asian/Pacific Islander, although its percentage dropped slightly from 82.52% in 2000 to 79.14% in 2010. The groups of two or more races, white, and Hispanic showed increases in their percentages. The two or more races category saw an increase of 14.93%, moving from 4.89% in 2000 to 5.62% in 2010. The white category witnessed a 27.81% growth from 6.04% in 2000 to 7.72% in 2010. Similarly, the Hispanic category rose by 22.03% from 3.45% in 2000 to 4.21% in 2010. Notably, there were no individuals identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 82.52% | 79.14% | -4.1% |
| White | 6.04% | 7.72% | 27.81% |
| Two or More Races | 4.89% | 5.62% | 14.93% |
| Hispanic | 3.45% | 4.21% | 22.03% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |