2000
#15,759
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,700
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.63
Rare Last name
Amen
A surname of Hebrew origin meaning "faithful," "trustworthy," or "true."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,111 Americans carry the last name Amen. That puts it at #15,346 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.62 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 162,366 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Amen 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
2.1K
1 in 162,366
Census rank
#15,346
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,841 bearers of the surname Amen in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.62 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15346th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Amen, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.9%) and Black (7.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Amen
The surname "Amen" has its roots in ancient Egypt, where it was derived from the Egyptian word "Amen," meaning "the hidden one" or "the unseen one." This name was closely associated with the Egyptian god Amun, one of the most prominent deities in the ancient Egyptian pantheon.
The name "Amen" first appeared in written records during the Old Kingdom period of ancient Egypt, around 2700-2200 BCE. It was often used as a title or an epithet for various gods, including Amun, Ra, and Ptah. Over time, it became a common surname among the ancient Egyptians.
In the Middle Ages, the name "Amen" spread to Europe through various trade routes and cultural exchanges. It was particularly popular among Jewish communities, as the word "Amen" holds significant meaning in the Hebrew language and is often used to express affirmation or agreement.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Amen" can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appeared in various spellings, such as "Amen" and "Amon," indicating its widespread use at the time.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname "Amen." One of the earliest recorded was Rabbi Jacob ben Abba Mari Amen (c. 1235-1285), a prominent Jewish scholar and philosopher from Provence, France. Another notable figure was Sir Amen Budge (1857-1934), an English Egyptologist and writer who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Egyptian language and culture.
In the 16th century, the name "Amen" was associated with the Amen family, a wealthy merchant family from the Netherlands. One of their most famous members was Pieter Amen (1540-1598), a Dutch merchant and diplomat who played a crucial role in the Dutch Revolt against Spanish rule.
During the 17th century, the name "Amen" was also found among English Puritans, who often chose biblical names or words with religious significance. One such individual was William Amen (1626-1701), an English Puritan minister and author who served as the pastor of several congregations in Massachusetts.
In the 19th century, the name "Amen" gained prominence in the United States, particularly among African American communities. One notable figure was Amen-Ra Sekeran (1831-1888), a former slave from South Carolina who became a prominent Baptist minister and advocate for the rights of African Americans.
While the surname "Amen" may have evolved and taken on different meanings over time, its origins can be traced back to the ancient Egyptian civilization, where it held deep religious and cultural significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Amen
Among Census respondents with the surname Amen, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.9%) and Black (7.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Amen 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 Amen surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White77.0% · 1,417
- Hispanic or Latino7.9% · 145
- Black or African American7.0% · 128
- Two or more races3.6% · 66
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.5% · 65
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.1% · 20
Timeline
Historical Census data for Amen
Amen 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
#15,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,938
+238 bearers (+14.0%)
Per 100,000 0.66
Rank movement Up 558 places
2020
#15,346
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,841
-97 bearers (-5.0%)
Per 100,000 0.62
Rank movement Down 145 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #15,759 | 1,700 | 0.63 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #15,201 | 1,938 | 0.66 | +238 bearers (+14.0%) | Up 558 places |
| 2020 | #15,346 | 1,841 | 0.62 | -97 bearers (-5.0%) | Down 145 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 Amen 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 | #15,201 | #15,346 | -1.0% |
| Count | 1,938 | 1,841 | -5.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.66 | 0.62 | -6.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Amen bearers went from 1,938 to 1,841 (-5.0% change). The surname moved down 145 positions in the national ranking, going from #15,201 to #15,346.
FAQ
Amen surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Amen?
Name Census estimates that about 2,111 living Americans carry the surname Amen. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 162,366 residents.
How common is Amen?
Amen ranks #15,346 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.62 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,841 people with the surname Amen. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,111), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.62 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.62 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Amen.
Has Amen become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Amen went from 1,938 recorded bearers to 1,841. That is a decrease of 97 (-5.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #15,201 to #15,346.
What does the Census say about the background of Amen?
Among Census respondents with the surname Amen, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.9%) and Black (7.0%). 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 Amen in the 2020 Census, accounting for 77.0% (1,417 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Amen appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (77.0%), Hispanic (7.9%), Black (7.0%). 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 Amen (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 Amen mean?
A surname of Hebrew origin meaning "faithful," "trustworthy," or "true." 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 Amen (0.62 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 Amen?
See how many Americans have the surname Amen on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.