2000
#6,538
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,782
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.77
Rare Last name
Jamerson
Derived from the given name James, meaning "supplanter" or "one who follows," combined with the patronymic suffix -son.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,660 Americans carry the last name Jamerson. That puts it at #6,589 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.65 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 60,557 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Jamerson 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
5.7K
1 in 60,557
Census rank
#6,589
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,936 bearers of the surname Jamerson in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.65 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6589th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Jamerson, the largest self-reported group is Black at 50.6%. The next largest groups are White (38.4%) and Two or More Races (5.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Jamerson
The surname Jamerson has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the given name James, which itself comes from the Hebrew name Jacob, meaning "supplanter" or "one who follows." The suffix "-son" was commonly added to indicate a patronymic, or a name derived from the father's given name.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jamerson can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, where it appears as "Jamessone." This early spelling variation highlights the fluidity of surnames during that era, before they became more standardized.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Jamerson was primarily concentrated in the counties of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire, where many bearers of the name were landowners or tenant farmers. One notable example is Robert Jamerson, a landowner in the village of Epworth, Lincolnshire, who is mentioned in the Court Rolls of 1387.
In the 16th century, the Jamerson family gained prominence through the exploits of Sir John Jamerson (c. 1520-1585), a military commander who fought in the French Wars of Religion. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I for his bravery on the battlefield and later served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Nottingham.
Another notable figure bearing the Jamerson name was William Jamerson (1635-1718), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from York. He donated generously to the construction of several churches and public buildings in the city, and his legacy is commemorated in the name of Jamerson Street, which still exists today.
In the 18th century, the Jamerson family expanded its influence to the American colonies. One of the earliest settlers was Thomas Jamerson (1702-1782), who arrived in Virginia from England in 1725. He established a successful plantation and became a prominent figure in the local community.
During the 19th century, several individuals with the Jamerson surname made significant contributions to various fields. Among them was Sarah Jamerson (1817-1892), an educator and advocate for women's rights, who established one of the first schools for girls in New York City.
Another notable figure was John Jamerson (1838-1922), a pioneering engineer who played a crucial role in the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. His innovative design solutions helped overcome the technical challenges associated with the bridge's construction, and his work was recognized with numerous awards and honors.
Throughout its long history, the surname Jamerson has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, each contributing to the rich tapestry of their respective communities and leaving an indelible mark on the world around them.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Jamerson
Among Census respondents with the surname Jamerson, the largest self-reported group is Black at 50.6%. The next largest groups are White (38.4%) and Two or More Races (5.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Jamerson 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 Jamerson surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American50.6% · 2,497
- White38.4% · 1,895
- Two or more races5.9% · 293
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 161
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.2% · 57
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 33
Timeline
Historical Census data for Jamerson
Jamerson 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
#6,440
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,273
+491 bearers (+10.3%)
Per 100,000 1.79
Rank movement Up 98 places
2020
#6,589
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,936
-337 bearers (-6.4%)
Per 100,000 1.65
Rank movement Down 149 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,538 | 4,782 | 1.77 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,440 | 5,273 | 1.79 | +491 bearers (+10.3%) | Up 98 places |
| 2020 | #6,589 | 4,936 | 1.65 | -337 bearers (-6.4%) | Down 149 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 Jamerson 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 | #6,440 | #6,589 | -2.3% |
| Count | 5,273 | 4,936 | -6.4% |
| Per 100K | 1.79 | 1.65 | -7.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Jamerson bearers went from 5,273 to 4,936 (-6.4% change). The surname moved down 149 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,440 to #6,589.
FAQ
Jamerson surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Jamerson?
Name Census estimates that about 5,660 living Americans carry the surname Jamerson. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 60,557 residents.
How common is Jamerson?
Jamerson ranks #6,589 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.65 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,936 people with the surname Jamerson. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,660), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.65 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.65 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Jamerson.
Has Jamerson become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Jamerson went from 5,273 recorded bearers to 4,936. That is a decrease of 337 (-6.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #6,440 to #6,589.
What does the Census say about the background of Jamerson?
Among Census respondents with the surname Jamerson, the largest self-reported group is Black at 50.6%. The next largest groups are White (38.4%) and Two or More Races (5.9%). 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 Jamerson in the 2020 Census, accounting for 50.6% (2,497 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Jamerson appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (50.6%), White (38.4%), Two or More Races (5.9%). 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 Jamerson (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 Jamerson mean?
Derived from the given name James, meaning "supplanter" or "one who follows," combined with the patronymic suffix -son. 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 Jamerson (1.65 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 Jamerson?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Jamerson is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.