Explore the Family Name Old
The meaning of Old
1. English: variant of Olds, from Middle English old(e) ‘old’ (Old English eald), used not always to imply old age but also to distinguish the older of two bearers of the same personal name. 2. German: northern variant of Alt, like the English name a distinguishing name for the older of two bearers of the same name. 3. Americanized form of German Alt.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Old in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Old" slightly declined between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname ranked 23,019 in terms of popularity and was owned by approximately 1,037 individuals in the United States, giving it a proportion of 0.38 per 100,000 people. By 2010, despite the count remaining almost constant at 1,035, the rank dropped to 24,237 due to the rise of other surnames, resulting in a proportion of 0.35 per 100,000 people. This indicates a change rate of -5.29 in rank and -0.19 in count over a decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #23,019 | #24,237 | -5.29% |
| Count | 1,037 | 1,035 | -0.19% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.38 | 0.35 | -7.89% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Old
Regarding ethnicity as informed by the Decennial U.S. Census, the majority of individuals with the surname "Old" identified themselves as White in both 2000 and 2010, with percentages of 92.00 and 94.20 respectively. The percentage of those identifying as Hispanic saw an increase from 1.35 in 2000 to 2.51 in 2010, marking an 85.93 percent change. However, the Asian/Pacific Islander representation went from 3.66 in 2000 to zero in 2010. Additionally, there was a slight decrease within the group identifying as two or more races, from 1.45 in 2000 to 1.35 in 2010. Interestingly, the Black representation was introduced in 2010 at 1.16 percent, while the American Indian and Alaskan Native category remained unrepresented in both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 92% | 94.2% | 2.39% |
| Hispanic | 1.35% | 2.51% | 85.93% |
| Two or More Races | 1.45% | 1.35% | -6.9% |
| Black | 0% | 1.16% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 3.66% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |