2000
#22,783
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,051
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.39
Rare Last name
Urie
A Scottish surname derived from the name of the Scottish village Ure.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,203 Americans carry the last name Urie. That puts it at #24,804 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.35 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 284,916 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Urie 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 Urie with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
1.2K
1 in 284,916
Census rank
#24,804
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,049 bearers of the surname Urie in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.35 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 24804th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Urie, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%) and Black (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Urie
The surname URIE is of Scottish origin, deriving from the lands of Urr in Kirkcudbrightshire. The earliest recorded instance of this name dates back to the 12th century, when it appeared as "de Vrr" in ancient charters and manuscripts.
The name evolved over time, with various spellings such as "Ure," "Urie," and "Urry" emerging in different regions of Scotland. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "ure," meaning "our" or "belonging to us," suggesting a connection to a particular clan or community.
One of the earliest documented references to the URIE surname can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a series of instruments recording the homage paid to Edward I of England by Scottish nobles and landowners during the Wars of Scottish Independence. The Ragman Rolls list several individuals with the surname URIE or variations thereof, indicating the name's presence in medieval Scotland.
In the 16th century, the URIE surname gained prominence with the arrival of John Urie (c. 1510-1585), a Scottish Protestant reformer and scholar. Urie played a significant role in the Scottish Reformation and served as the minister of Petty, Moray, and later as the rector of the University of Aberdeen.
Another notable figure bearing the URIE surname was Sir John Urry (1666-1715), a Scottish Jacobite soldier and writer. Urry served as a general in the Duke of Argyll's army during the Jacobite rising of 1715 and was known for his work on editing and publishing the works of Chaucer.
In the 18th century, John Urry (1714-1783), a Scottish divine and writer, made his mark as the author of several theological works, including "A Collection of Hymns and Spiritual Songs" and "The Christian Soldier's Spiritual Companion."
The URIE surname also has connections to various place names in Scotland. For instance, the village of Urr in Dumfries and Galloway is believed to have derived its name from the same root as the surname, reflecting the historical ties between the name and the region.
These are just a few examples of the rich history and notable individuals associated with the surname URIE, which has its roots deeply embedded in the Scottish heritage and has left an indelible mark on various aspects of Scottish culture and society over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Urie
Among Census respondents with the surname Urie, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%) and Black (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Urie 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 Urie surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.0% · 934
- Hispanic or Latino4.8% · 50
- Black or African American2.9% · 30
- Two or more races2.6% · 27
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Urie
Urie 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
#23,315
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,092
+41 bearers (+3.9%)
Per 100,000 0.37
Rank movement Down 532 places
2020
#24,804
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,049
-43 bearers (-3.9%)
Per 100,000 0.35
Rank movement Down 1,489 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #22,783 | 1,051 | 0.39 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #23,315 | 1,092 | 0.37 | +41 bearers (+3.9%) | Down 532 places |
| 2020 | #24,804 | 1,049 | 0.35 | -43 bearers (-3.9%) | Down 1,489 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 Urie 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 | #23,315 | #24,804 | -6.4% |
| Count | 1,092 | 1,049 | -3.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.37 | 0.35 | -5.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Urie bearers went from 1,092 to 1,049 (-3.9% change). The surname moved down 1,489 positions in the national ranking, going from #23,315 to #24,804.
FAQ
Urie surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Urie?
Name Census estimates that about 1,203 living Americans carry the surname Urie. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 284,916 residents.
How common is Urie?
Urie ranks #24,804 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.35 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,049 people with the surname Urie. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,203), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.35 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.35 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Urie.
Has Urie become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Urie went from 1,092 recorded bearers to 1,049. That is a decrease of 43 (-3.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #23,315 to #24,804.
What does the Census say about the background of Urie?
Among Census respondents with the surname Urie, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%) and Black (2.9%). 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 Urie in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.0% (934 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Urie appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.0%), Hispanic (4.8%), Black (2.9%). 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 Urie (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 Urie mean?
A Scottish surname derived from the name of the Scottish village Ure. 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 Urie (0.35 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 have the last name Urie?
You can see how many people have the last name Urie on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.