Explore the Family Name Needy
The meaning of Needy
English: apparently from Middle English nedi, nede ‘needy, poor’, also ‘needy person’. Early records of its use as surname, however, are lacking.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Needy in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname 'Needy' saw a drop in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the name was ranked 57,252nd in frequency, but by 2010 it had fallen to 70,645th, marking a decrease of 23.39%. Similarly, the count of individuals with this surname decreased from 333 to 277 over the same period, a reduction of 16.82%. The proportion of people named Needy per 100,000 also fell by 25%, from 0.12 to 0.09.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #57,252 | #70,645 | -23.39% |
| Count | 333 | 277 | -16.82% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.12 | 0.09 | -25% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Needy
The ethnicity data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows that the majority of people with the surname 'Needy' identify as White, which stood at 96.40% in 2000 and remained virtually unchanged at 96.39% in 2010. A small fraction identified as Black in 2000 (2.10%), however, this percentage dropped to zero by 2010. The census also recorded an emergence of individuals identifying with two or more races, representing 2.17% in 2010 after not being represented in the 2000 data. No individuals with the surname 'Needy' identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.4% | 96.39% | -0.01% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 2.17% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 2.1% | 0% | -100% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |