The 2010 U.S. Census recorded 28,873 black Americans with Andrews as their last name. That represented 22% of the total of 133,799 entries.
This article tracks their numbers in the census since the Civil War. We also look at historic African American people named Andrews.
We end with a review of early records of black military service in the United States.
After The Civil War
The 1870 census was the first survey after the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation. In 1850 and 1860, only free African Americans were recorded in the census. The many enslaved were omitted.
From 1870 onward, all black Americans were included.
3,407 people named Andrews were recorded in the 1870 census as black and 408 as mixed.
There was a total of 28,728 people with the name.
Andrews In The 1900 And 1940 Census
The mixed category was dropped from the census in 1900, so we just need to look at the black numbers this time.
The 1900 census recorded 6,358 people with the last name Andrews as black within a total of 45,925 that year.
By the way, the mixed category returned in the 1910 and 1920 censuses. It was dropped again in 1930, but replaced with extra categories for colored and non-white in a way that seems confusing now.
This changed again in 1940 and we can simply focus on one black category.
The 1940 census recorded 10,087 people named Andrews as black within a total of 73,776.
Historic Black Figures With The Andrews Surname
Here is a notable African American in history with Andrews as their last name.
Harold Andrews
- Born: 1938
- From: Atlanta, Georgia
The Freedom Riders were civil rights activists who rode on segregated buses in the South from 1961. They sat in mixed groups to challenge seating segregation.
If they weren’t arrested on the bus, they would disembark and sit in segregated cafes and terminals.
The activists endured violent arrests from local police who would also let gathering mobs attack them. Many of the Freedom Riders were young college students.
Harold Andrews was a student at Morehouse College in 1961 and a committed civil rights activist.
He embarked on a Trailways bus from Montgomery, Alabama. He was arrested in Jackson, Mississippi.
More Freedom Riders
Here are just some of the Freedom Riders:
Andrews In Black Military Records
Military records are a rich resource of information for family history research. Here are examples of the Andrews surname from military service.
Buffalo Soldiers
Five regiments for black soldiers were formed during the Civil War. They were known as the Buffalo Soldiers.
Their records are part of the national archive of military monthly returns. The information includes the year and place of birth, where they enlisted, their occupation, and their height.
One of the earliest military entries for Andrews was in May 1884. James Andrews was a Private in the U.S. Tenth Cavalry. He was stationed in May 1884 at Fort Davis, Texas.
Another entry was in January 1910. Wlliam E. Andrews was a Corporal in the U.S. Tenth Cavalry.
If you are researching military ancestors, there is a free index of these records on Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org.
You have to create an account on either website, but you do not need to pay for the Buffalo Soldiers archive.
Black Civil War Sailors
The National Parks Service has a free archive of African American sailors during the Civil War.
The information includes their age, height, rank, occupation, and where and when they enlisted. It also includes every ship that they served on.
You can search the database on the National Parks website.
Isaac Andrews
One of the earliest entries for Andrews was for Isaac Andrews from Westchester, Pennsylvania. He enlisted in November 1861 at New York when he was aged 48.
The record shows that Isaac was assigned on January 1865 to the ship Bermuda.
His naval rank was Landsman.
“Landsman” was the lowest rank at the time and was given to recruits with little sea experience.
Henry Andrews
One of the later entries was for a sailor who enlisted at New London in August 1862. Henry was aged 25 and was from New London, Connecticut.
He was assigned to the ship on .
His occupation before enlisting was as a Waiter. His naval rank was Landsman.
“Landsman” was the lowest rank at the time and was given to recruits with little sea experience.