2000
#4,644
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,985
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.59
Rare Last name
Christ
A title given to Jesus of Nazareth by his followers, derived from the Greek word meaning "anointed one."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 7,602 Americans carry the last name Christ. That puts it at #5,114 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.22 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 45,087 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Christ surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Christ with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
7.6K
1 in 45,087
Census rank
#5,114
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,629 bearers of the surname Christ in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.22 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5114th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Christ, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (3.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Christ
The surname Christ originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "cristen," which means "Christian." This name was likely given to someone who was particularly pious or devout in their faith.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Christ can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as Cristen, Cristien, and Cryst.
During the Middle Ages, the surname Christ was particularly prevalent in regions like Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. It was often associated with religious figures or those who lived near churches or monasteries.
One notable figure from history with the surname Christ was John Christ, a 15th-century English cleric who served as the Abbot of St. Albans Abbey in Hertfordshire from 1470 to 1491. Another was William Christ (c. 1480-1535), an English Catholic martyr who was executed during the reign of Henry VIII for refusing to renounce his allegiance to the Pope.
In the 16th century, the surname Christ gained prominence in the Netherlands, where it was often spelled as Christus or Christiaens. One famous bearer of this name was Petrus Christus (c. 1410-1475/76), a renowned Flemish Renaissance painter known for his religious works and portraits.
Moving into the 17th century, the surname Christ was found in various parts of Europe, including Germany and France. One notable figure was Johann Friedrich Christ (1700-1756), a German theologian and philosopher who made significant contributions to the field of ethics.
In the 18th century, the surname Christ appeared in the United States, likely brought over by early English and Dutch settlers. One notable American with this surname was John Christ (1756-1828), a Revolutionary War soldier and pioneer who settled in Kentucky.
Throughout history, the surname Christ has been associated with religious figures, scholars, and individuals who played important roles in their communities. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the name has since spread across various regions and cultures, reflecting the diverse and fascinating history of surnames.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Christ
Among Census respondents with the surname Christ, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (3.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Christ bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Christ surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.7% · 5,945
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 216
- Two or more races3.2% · 212
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 125
- Black or African American1.5% · 98
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 33
Timeline
Historical Census data for Christ
Christ appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#4,854
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,261
+276 bearers (+4.0%)
Per 100,000 2.46
Rank movement Down 210 places
2020
#5,114
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,629
-632 bearers (-8.7%)
Per 100,000 2.22
Rank movement Down 260 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #4,644 | 6,985 | 2.59 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,854 | 7,261 | 2.46 | +276 bearers (+4.0%) | Down 210 places |
| 2020 | #5,114 | 6,629 | 2.22 | -632 bearers (-8.7%) | Down 260 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Christ surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,854 | #5,114 | -5.4% |
| Count | 7,261 | 6,629 | -8.7% |
| Per 100K | 2.46 | 2.22 | -9.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Christ bearers went from 7,261 to 6,629 (-8.7% change). The surname moved down 260 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,854 to #5,114.
FAQ
Christ surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Christ?
Name Census estimates that about 7,602 living Americans carry the surname Christ. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 45,087 residents.
How common is Christ?
Christ ranks #5,114 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.22 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 6,629 people with the surname Christ. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (7,602), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.22 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.22 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Christ.
Has Christ become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Christ went from 7,261 recorded bearers to 6,629. That is a decrease of 632 (-8.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #4,854 to #5,114.
What does the Census say about the background of Christ?
Among Census respondents with the surname Christ, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (3.2%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Christ in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.7% (5,945 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Christ appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.7%), Hispanic (3.3%), Two or More Races (3.2%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Christ (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Christ mean?
A title given to Jesus of Nazareth by his followers, derived from the Greek word meaning "anointed one." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Christ (2.22 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Christ?
Want to know how many Americans have the surname Christ? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.