Here are the most common Black or African American last names beginning with E in the United States.
Our list takes surnames from the 2010 census only if 50% or more holders declared that they were Black.
Of course, many African Americans have surnames that fall below this percentage. We simply use it as a cut-off for this list.
Details Behind The List
The U.S. census of 2010 included a question that asked if the person was Black or another ethnicity (or mix).
Our details include the black percentage in 2010 for each name. The census provides a percentage with two decimal points. We rounded it to a whole number.
We also checked the censuses of 1940 and 1910 for the number of people of each name who were documented as black.
This article uses the terms Black and African American interchangeably.
The public details from the 2010 census do not include nationality so our numbers cannot be exact. Take them as a guide.
Black Or African American Surnames Beginning With E
Each of the names in this section had at least one thousand bearers in the 2010 census.
The surnames are listed in order of how common they are in America.
Epps
The 2010 census had a total of 20,112 people with the last name Epps.
About 61% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 4,136 people named Epps were documented as black.
In the 1910 U.S. census, 2,847 name holders were documented as black.
Historic figures
Dr. Roselyn Epps was born in 1930 in Arkansas. She pursued medical studies at Howard University and graduated in 1955.
She became a pediatrician and specialized in public health. Her long career had many firsts. Epps was the first African American to be elected:
- president of the American Academy of Pediatrics
- president of the American Medical Women’s Association
Edmond
The 2010 census had a total of 9,369 people with the last name Edmond.
About 72% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 2,051 people named Edmond were documented as black.
In the 1910 U.S. census, 841 name holders were documented as black.
Etienne
The 2010 census had a total of 7,867 people with the last name Etienne.
About 82% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 116 people named Etienne were documented as black.
In the 1910 U.S. census, 96 name holders were documented as black.
Historical figures
In 1960, two elementary schools in New Orleans became the first in the south to start desegregation. This was four years after the Supreme Court ruled public school segregation as unconstitutional.
Four girls, just six years old, endured threats from mobs as they entered school. After a riot, the United States Marshals walked the girls to the the two schools.
Gail Etienne was one of these girls. Her classmates were Leona Tate and Tessie Prevost. The fourth girl, Rugby Bridges, was the lone attendant at the other school.
The civil rights march in the picture below took place in Washington D.C. in 1963. I’ve highlighted the sign calling for desegregating of schools. It was a long slow fight.
Ealy
The 2010 census had a total of 4,408 people with the last name Ealy.
About 51% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 657 people named Ealy were documented as black.
In the 1910 U.S. census, 332 name holders were documented as black.
Eugene
The 2010 census had a total of 4,205 people with the last name Eugene.
About 84% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 360 people named Eugene were documented as black.
In the 1910 U.S. census, 193 name holders were documented as black.
Eady
The 2010 census had a total of 3,992 people with the last name Eady.
About 52% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 767 people named Eady were documented as black.
In the 1910 U.S. census, 490 name holders were documented as black.
Eaddy
The 2010 census had a total of 3,385 people with the last name Eaddy. This is a variant spelling of “Eady” that we covered in the previous section.
About 73% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 764 people named Eaddy were documented as black.
In the 1910 U.S. census, 272 name holders were documented as black.
Emmanuel
The 2010 census had a total of 2,864 people with the last name Emmanuel.
About 63% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 43 people named Emmanuel were documented as black.
In the 1910 U.S. census, 8 name holders were documented as black. Of these entries, George Emmanuel is listed as being born in the Bahamas. The other seven were born in the United States.
Elie
The 2010 census had a total of 2,767 people with the last name Elie.
About 54% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 68 people named Elie were documented as black.
In the 1910 U.S. census, 59 name holders were documented as black.
Ellerbe
The 2010 census had a total of 2,560 people with the last name Ellerbe.
About 70% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 546 people named Ellerbe were documented as black.
In the 1910 U.S. census, 232 name holders were documented as black.
Ebanks
The 2010 census had a total of 2,359 people with the last name Ebanks.
About 53% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 6 people named Ebanks were documented as black. Five were in the same household in New Orleans.
The parent, Whitfield and Emily, were both born in Honduras. They have three teenage sons born in Louisiana.
There were no black holders of the name in the 1910 U.S. census.
Eatmon
The 2010 census had a total of 2,355 people with the last name Eatmon.
About 55% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 212 people named Eatmon were documented as black.
In the 1910 U.S. census, 95 name holders were documented as black.
Ealey
The 2010 census had a total of 2,229 people with the last name Ealey.
About 50% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 412 people named Ealey were documented as black.
In the 1910 U.S. census, 113 name holders were documented as black.
Edouard
The 2010 census had a total of 2,216 people with the last name Edouard.
About 91% identified as Black or African American.
One person named Edouard was documented as black in the 1910 U.S. census. Marie was born in New Orleans in 1872.
In 1940 there were no holders of the name documented as black. Perhaps Marie married between the two surveys.
Engram
The 2010 census had a total of 1,896 people with the last name Engram.
About 71% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 440 people named Engram were documented as black.
In the 1910 U.S. census, 381 name holders were documented as black.
Eaglin
The 2010 census had a total of 1,678 people with the last name Eaglin.
About 64% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 165 people named Eaglin were documented as black.
In the 1910 U.S. census, 40 name holders were documented as black.
El
The 2010 census had a total of 1,597 people with the last name El.
About 60% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 434 people named El were documented as black.
In the 1910 U.S. census, 38 name holders were documented as black.
Esters
The 2010 census had a total of 1,582 people with the last name Esters.
About 68% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 339 people named Esters were documented as black.
In the 1910 U.S. census, 224 name holders were documented as black.
Erving
The 2010 census had a total of 1,532 people with the last name Erving.
About 60% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 264 people named Erving were documented as black.
In the 1910 U.S. census, 155 name holders were documented as black.
Ebron
The 2010 census had a total of 1,502 people with the last name Ebron.
About 84% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 207 people named Ebron were documented as black.
In the 1910 U.S. census, 84 name holders were documented as black.
Erby
The 2010 census had a total of 1,449 people with the last name Erby.
About 69% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 381 people named Erby were documented as black.
In the 1910 U.S. census, 192 name holders were documented as black.
Elmi
The 2010 census had a total of 1,289 people with the last name Elmi.
About 81% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, one person named Elmi was documented as black. Ahmed was born in South Africa in 1896 and was living in Pittsburgh.
There were no black holders of the name in the 1910 U.S. census.
Evelyn
The 2010 census had a total of 1,278 people with the last name Evelyn.
About 51% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 122 people named Evelyn were documented as black.
In the 1910 U.S. census, 12 name holders were documented as black.
Exantus
The 2010 census had a total of 1,186 people with the last name Exantus.
About 95% identified as Black or African American.
Nobody of this name was documented as black in the 1900 or 1940 censuses.
Emile
The 2010 census had a total of 1,130 people with the last name Emile.
About 86% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 46 people named Emile were documented as black.
In the 1910 U.S. census, 33 name holders were documented as black.
Elijah
The 2010 census had a total of 1,094 people with the last name Elijah.
About 51% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 164 people named Elijah were documented as black.
In the 1910 U.S. census, 98 name holders were documented as black.
Elzy
The 2010 census had a total of 1,088 people with the last name Elzy.
About 58% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 296 people named Elzy were documented as black.
In the 1910 U.S. census, 114 name holders were documented as black.
Ector
The 2010 census had a total of 1,077 people with the last name Ector.
About 74% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 433 people named Ector were documented as black.
In the 1910 U.S. census, 233 name holders were documented as black.
Ephraim
The 2010 census had a total of 1,069 people with the last name Ephraim.
About 58% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 334 people named Ephraim were documented as black.
In the 1910 U.S. census, 91 name holders were documented as black.
Estime
The 2010 census had a total of 1,011 people with the last name Estime.
About 94% identified as Black or African American.
Nobody of this name was documented as black in the 1900 or 1940 censuses.
More Black Last Names Beginning With E
These names had under one thousand bearers in the 2010 U.S. census.
Between 500 and one thousand bearers:
| Last Name | Total | % Black |
| Eutsey | 876 | 53% |
| Eke | 804 | 75% |
| Eze | 754 | 95% |
| Ewings | 718 | 51% |
| Elcock | 693 | 63% |
| Eleby | 662 | 90% |
| Essien | 627 | 92% |
| Eustache | 613 | 86% |
| Ellerby | 579 | 62% |
| Elem | 525 | 68% |
| Eckford | 511 | 78% |
| Exume | 503 | 95% |
