2000
#127,948
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Askea
A surname originating from a Scandinavian place name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Askea. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Askea 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
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Askea in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Askea, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Askea
The surname ASKEA has its origins in Scotland, with records indicating its use dating back to the 12th century. Originally derived from the Old English word "aesc," meaning ash tree, the name likely referred to families who lived near or owned lands with significant ash tree populations.
One of the earliest known references to the ASKEA name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical record of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The spelling in this document appears as "Aschewe," indicating the name's evolution over time.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, the ASKEA family was prominent in the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the regions of Ayrshire and Renfrewshire. Records from this period mention several notable individuals, including Sir William Askea (c. 1280-1346), a respected knight who fought alongside Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.
In the 16th century, the name gained recognition with the birth of John Askea (1521-1587), a renowned Scottish scholar and theologian who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation. His writings and teachings influenced the religious landscape of Scotland and beyond.
Another notable figure was Margaret Askea (1688-1763), a pioneering Scottish botanist and herbalist. Her extensive knowledge of medicinal plants and their applications contributed greatly to the advancement of natural remedies during her lifetime.
The ASKEA name can also be traced to various place names in Scotland, such as Askea Hill in Dumfries and Galloway, and the village of Askea in Stirlingshire. These locations likely played a role in the surname's evolution and association with specific regions.
Throughout the centuries, the ASKEA surname has undergone various spelling variations, including Aschew, Aschaw, and Askew, reflecting regional dialects and the transition from Old English to modern forms.
Individuals with the ASKEA surname have made significant contributions across various fields, including Robert Askea (1792-1868), a renowned Scottish architect known for his innovative designs, and Elizabeth Askea (1849-1922), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Askea
Among Census respondents with the surname Askea, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Askea 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 Askea surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.4% · 103
- Hispanic or Latino5.3% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.6% · 3
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Askea
Askea 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
#145,220
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
-9 bearers (-7.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 17,272 places
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,275 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #127,948 | 123 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #145,220 | 114 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.3%) | Down 17,272 places |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 1,275 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 Askea 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 | #145,220 | #146,495 | -0.9% |
| Count | 114 | 114 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Askea bearers went from 114 to 114 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 1,275 positions in the national ranking, going from #145,220 to #146,495.
FAQ
Askea surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Askea?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Askea. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Askea?
Askea ranks #146,495 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 114 people with the surname Askea. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), 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 Askea.
Has Askea become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Askea went from 114 recorded bearers to 114. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #145,220 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Askea?
Among Census respondents with the surname Askea, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.6%). 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 Askea in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.4% (103 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Askea appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.4%), Hispanic (5.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.6%). 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 Askea (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 Askea mean?
A surname originating from a Scandinavian place name. 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 Askea (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 have the last name Askea?
Want to know how many people are called Askea? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.