2000
#105
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 197,212
First available Census row
Per 100,000 73.11
Common Last name
Jordan
A baptismal surname derived from the River Jordan, likely adopted by Crusaders and pilgrims returning from the Holy Land.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 230,474 Americans carry the last name Jordan. That puts it at #118 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 67.24 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,487 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Jordan 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 Jordan with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
230K
1 in 1,487
Census rank
#118
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
67.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
201K
common in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 200,984 bearers of the surname Jordan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 67.24 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 118th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Jordan, the largest self-reported group is White at 58.5%. The next largest groups are Black (30.2%) and Hispanic (5.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Jordan
The surname Jordan originated in England, specifically in the county of Dorset. It dates back to the 12th century and is derived from the Old English words "ior" meaning "ground" and "dun" meaning "hill". This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who lived on a hill or near a raised area of land.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Jordan surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Dorset from 1195, where a person named Richard Jordan is mentioned. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were administrative records compiled during the reign of King Edward I.
During the Middle Ages, the Jordan surname was sometimes spelled as "Jordain" or "Jordane". It is believed to have originated as a place name before becoming a hereditary surname. One notable example is the village of Jordan's Hill in Dorset, which likely took its name from an early bearer of the Jordan surname who lived in the area.
In the 14th century, a man named John Jordan was recorded as a member of the gentry in Somerset. His exact birth and death dates are unknown, but his inclusion in historical records suggests that the Jordan family held a respected position in society during that time.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Jordan. Sir Joseph Jordan (1789-1859) was a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. He achieved the rank of Vice Admiral and was knighted for his distinguished service.
Another famous bearer of the Jordan surname was Dorothy Jordan (1761-1816), an Irish actress and courtesan. She was well-known for her performances in London and had a long-term relationship with the Duke of Clarence, who later became King William IV of the United Kingdom.
In the field of science, Ernst Jordan (1858-1924) was a German mathematician and theoretical physicist. He made significant contributions to group theory and is remembered for the Jordan normal form in linear algebra.
Michael Jordan (born 1963) is arguably the most famous person with the Jordan surname. He is an American former professional basketball player who is widely considered one of the greatest athletes of all time. Jordan won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals with the surname Jordan throughout history. The name has its origins in medieval England and has since spread to various parts of the world, carrying a rich heritage and legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Jordan
Among Census respondents with the surname Jordan, the largest self-reported group is White at 58.5%. The next largest groups are Black (30.2%) and Hispanic (5.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Jordan 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 Jordan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White58.5% · 117,536
- Black or African American30.2% · 60,795
- Hispanic or Latino5.3% · 10,620
- Two or more races4.6% · 9,264
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 1,421
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 1,348
Timeline
Historical Census data for Jordan
Jordan 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
#116
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 208,403
+11,191 bearers (+5.7%)
Per 100,000 70.65
Rank movement Down 11 places
2020
#118
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 200,984
-7,419 bearers (-3.6%)
Per 100,000 67.24
Rank movement Down 2 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #105 | 197,212 | 73.11 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #116 | 208,403 | 70.65 | +11,191 bearers (+5.7%) | Down 11 places |
| 2020 | #118 | 200,984 | 67.24 | -7,419 bearers (-3.6%) | Down 2 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 Jordan 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 | #116 | #118 | -1.7% |
| Count | 208,403 | 200,984 | -3.6% |
| Per 100K | 70.65 | 67.24 | -4.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Jordan bearers went from 208,403 to 200,984 (-3.6% change). The surname moved down 2 positions in the national ranking, going from #116 to #118.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Jordan
FAQ
Jordan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Jordan?
Name Census estimates that about 230,474 living Americans carry the surname Jordan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,487 residents.
How common is Jordan?
Jordan ranks #118 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Common." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 67.24 per 100,000 residents, which is about 67 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 200,984 people with the surname Jordan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (230,474), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 67.24 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 67.24 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 67 of them to have the surname Jordan.
Has Jordan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Jordan went from 208,403 recorded bearers to 200,984. That is a decrease of 7,419 (-3.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #116 to #118.
What does the Census say about the background of Jordan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Jordan, the largest self-reported group is White at 58.5%. The next largest groups are Black (30.2%) and Hispanic (5.3%). 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 Jordan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 58.5% (117,536 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Jordan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (58.5%), Black (30.2%), Hispanic (5.3%). 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 Jordan (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 Jordan mean?
A baptismal surname derived from the River Jordan, likely adopted by Crusaders and pilgrims returning from the Holy Land. 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 Jordan (67.24 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 share the surname Jordan?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.