2000
#23,594
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,002
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.37
Rare Last name
Citizen
Originally denoted a city dweller or resident of a certain town.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,265 Americans carry the last name Citizen. That puts it at #14,514 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.66 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 151,326 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Citizen 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
2.3K
1 in 151,326
Census rank
#14,514
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,975 bearers of the surname Citizen in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.66 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14514th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Citizen, the largest self-reported group is Black at 47.3%. The next largest groups are White (38.8%) and Hispanic (7.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Citizen
The surname CITIZEN is believed to have originated in England in the late medieval period, possibly derived from the Old French word "citeien" or "citezen," meaning "city-dweller" or "town-dweller." This name likely referred to someone who lived within the walls of a city or town, as opposed to a rural area.
During the Middle Ages, many people adopted surnames based on their occupation, place of origin, or distinctive physical or personal characteristics. The surname CITIZEN may have been given to individuals who had moved from the countryside to towns or cities, or perhaps to those who held certain civic positions or rights within urban communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname CITIZEN can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a John Citezene is listed. Another early reference comes from the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1379, which mentions a William Citezen.
In the 15th century, the surname appears in various spellings, such as Citisein, Citeseyn, and Citezein, reflecting the evolving nature of surnames during that period. For example, the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence from a wealthy Norfolk family, include mentions of a John Cytesyn in 1459 and a John Cytezein in 1472.
One notable early bearer of the surname CITIZEN was Richard Citizen, a merchant and alderman of the city of London in the late 15th century. He served as Mayor of London from 1491 to 1492 and was a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers.
In the 16th century, the surname CITIZEN can be found in various records, including the Lay Subsidy Rolls for Warwickshire in 1524, which lists a Henry Cytezen. Another individual of note was John Citizen, a clergyman who served as Rector of St. Peter's Church in Cornhill, London, from 1588 to 1594.
During the 17th century, the surname CITIZEN continued to appear in various records, such as the Parish Registers of St. Giles Cripplegate in London, which mention a William Citizen in 1619 and a Robert Citizen in 1643. Additionally, a Thomas Citizen was recorded as a member of the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers in London in 1631.
In the 18th century, one notable bearer of the surname CITIZEN was Edward Citizen, a writer and translator who was born in London in 1731. He is known for his translations of French works, including a 1769 edition of Voltaire's "The Orphan of China."
Throughout the centuries, the surname CITIZEN has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, clergymen, writers, and civic officials. While the name may have originated as a reference to urban dwellers, it has since become a widely recognized surname across England and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Citizen
Among Census respondents with the surname Citizen, the largest self-reported group is Black at 47.3%. The next largest groups are White (38.8%) and Hispanic (7.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Citizen 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 Citizen surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American47.3% · 934
- White38.8% · 767
- Hispanic or Latino7.1% · 140
- Two or more races4.2% · 83
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 37
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 14
Timeline
Historical Census data for Citizen
Citizen 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
#19,602
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,376
+374 bearers (+37.3%)
Per 100,000 0.47
Rank movement Up 3,992 places
2020
#14,514
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,975
+599 bearers (+43.5%)
Per 100,000 0.66
Rank movement Up 5,088 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #23,594 | 1,002 | 0.37 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #19,602 | 1,376 | 0.47 | +374 bearers (+37.3%) | Up 3,992 places |
| 2020 | #14,514 | 1,975 | 0.66 | +599 bearers (+43.5%) | Up 5,088 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 Citizen 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 | #19,602 | #14,514 | 26.0% |
| Count | 1,376 | 1,975 | 43.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.47 | 0.66 | 40.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Citizen bearers went from 1,376 to 1,975 (+43.5% change). The surname moved up 5,088 positions in the national ranking, going from #19,602 to #14,514.
FAQ
Citizen surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Citizen?
Name Census estimates that about 2,265 living Americans carry the surname Citizen. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 151,326 residents.
How common is Citizen?
Citizen ranks #14,514 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.66 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 1,975 people with the surname Citizen. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,265), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.66 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.66 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 Citizen.
Has Citizen become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Citizen went from 1,376 recorded bearers to 1,975. That is an increase of 599 (+43.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #19,602 to #14,514.
What does the Census say about the background of Citizen?
Among Census respondents with the surname Citizen, the largest self-reported group is Black at 47.3%. The next largest groups are White (38.8%) and Hispanic (7.1%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Citizen in the 2020 Census, accounting for 47.3% (934 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Citizen appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (47.3%), White (38.8%), Hispanic (7.1%). 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 Citizen (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 Citizen mean?
Originally denoted a city dweller or resident of a certain town. 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 Citizen (0.66 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 Americans have the surname Citizen?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.