2010
#148,347
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Active
Descriptive surname for an energetic, lively, or industrious person, or one living near an active natural feature.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Active. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Active 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.
Bearers in the US
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Active in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Active, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 79.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.0%) and Hispanic (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Active
The surname "Active" is of English origin and dates back to the late 16th century. It is derived from the Old English word "actif," which means "energetic" or "lively." The name was initially used as a descriptive name for someone who was particularly active or energetic in their profession or daily life.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "Active" can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Nottingham, England, where a William Active was christened in 1592. Another early record is from the Essex County Archives, which mentions a John Active in a land deed dated 1611.
In the 17th century, the name "Active" appeared in several historical documents, including the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a Thomas Active was mentioned in 1638. The name was also found in the Hearth Tax records of Gloucestershire in 1672, listing a family named Active as residents of the town of Cirencester.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname "Active" was Sir Robert Active (1620-1682), a prominent English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. He was known for his extensive trade ventures with the East Indies and his philanthropic contributions to the city.
In the 18th century, the name "Active" gained prominence in the literary world with the poet and playwright John Active (1738-1807). Born in Bristol, he is best known for his satirical works that criticized the social and political issues of his time.
Another notable figure was Elizabeth Active (1762-1848), a pioneering educator from Oxfordshire. She founded one of the first schools for girls in England and was a vocal advocate for women's education at a time when it was still largely denied.
The 19th century saw the rise of William Active (1823-1901), a renowned architect from Yorkshire. He designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Albert Hall and the Natural History Museum.
In more recent history, one of the most famous individuals with the surname "Active" was Sir Henry Active (1902-1986), a British diplomat and statesman. He served as the Ambassador to the United States from 1953 to 1960 and played a crucial role in strengthening the transatlantic alliance during the Cold War era.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Active
Among Census respondents with the surname Active, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 79.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.0%) and Hispanic (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Active 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 Active surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- American Indian and Alaska Native79.6% · 90
- Two or more races8.0% · 9
- Hispanic or Latino4.4% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander4.4% · 5
- White2.7% · 3
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Active
Active appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+2 bearers (+1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,126 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #148,347 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.8%) | Up 1,126 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 Active 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 | #148,347 | #147,221 | 0.8% |
| Count | 111 | 113 | 1.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Active bearers went from 111 to 113 (+1.8% change). The surname moved up 1,126 positions in the national ranking, going from #148,347 to #147,221.
FAQ
Active surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Active?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Active. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Active?
Active ranks #147,221 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 113 people with the surname Active. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Active.
Has Active become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Active went from 111 recorded bearers to 113. That is an increase of 2 (+1.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #148,347 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Active?
Among Census respondents with the surname Active, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 79.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.0%) and Hispanic (4.4%). 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?
American Indian/Alaska Native is the largest self-reported group for the surname Active in the 2020 Census, accounting for 79.6% (90 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Active appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are American Indian/Alaska Native (79.6%), Two or More Races (8.0%), Hispanic (4.4%). 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 Active (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 Active mean?
Descriptive surname for an energetic, lively, or industrious person, or one living near an active natural feature. 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 Active (0.04 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 Active?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.