2000
#6,754
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,601
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.71
Rare Last name
Mapp
An English occupational surname for someone who made or sold maps.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,189 Americans carry the last name Mapp. That puts it at #7,121 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.51 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 66,054 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mapp 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Mapp with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.2K
1 in 66,054
Census rank
#7,121
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,525 bearers of the surname Mapp in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.51 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7121st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mapp, the largest self-reported group is Black at 69.1%. The next largest groups are White (21.9%) and Two or More Races (5.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mapp
The surname MAPP has its origins in England and can be traced back to the late 11th century. It is derived from the Old English word "map" or "mapel," which means a small piece of baked bread or a napkin. The name likely originated as a nickname for a baker or someone associated with the baking trade.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MAPP can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land and property ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a person named "Mapelio" who lived in Essex.
During the Middle Ages, the name MAPP appeared in various spellings, such as Mappe, Mappe, and Mappes. These variations were common due to the lack of standardized spelling rules at the time.
In the 14th century, records show a John Mapp who was born in Somerset in 1310. He was a prominent landowner and served as a member of the local council.
Another notable figure with the surname MAPP was Thomas Mapp, born in 1501 in Oxfordshire. He was a renowned scholar and author, known for his work on ancient Greek literature.
During the 16th century, the name MAPP was associated with the village of Mappleborough in Warwickshire. This place name is believed to have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in that region.
In the 17th century, a notable bearer of the name was Sir Walter Mapp (1622-1688), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from London. He was influential in establishing several charitable organizations and donated generously to educational causes.
Another prominent figure with the surname MAPP was Mary Mapp (1676-1737), a celebrated writer and poet from Berkshire. Her work was widely acclaimed during her lifetime, and she was considered a leading literary figure of her era.
Throughout the centuries, the MAPP surname has continued to be associated with various professions and occupations, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of those who bear this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mapp
Among Census respondents with the surname Mapp, the largest self-reported group is Black at 69.1%. The next largest groups are White (21.9%) and Two or More Races (5.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Mapp 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 Mapp surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American69.1% · 3,129
- White21.9% · 992
- Two or more races5.2% · 234
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 137
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 20
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 13
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mapp
Mapp 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
#7,052
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,749
+148 bearers (+3.2%)
Per 100,000 1.61
Rank movement Down 298 places
2020
#7,121
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,525
-224 bearers (-4.7%)
Per 100,000 1.51
Rank movement Down 69 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,754 | 4,601 | 1.71 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,052 | 4,749 | 1.61 | +148 bearers (+3.2%) | Down 298 places |
| 2020 | #7,121 | 4,525 | 1.51 | -224 bearers (-4.7%) | Down 69 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 Mapp 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 | #7,052 | #7,121 | -1.0% |
| Count | 4,749 | 4,525 | -4.7% |
| Per 100K | 1.61 | 1.51 | -6.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mapp bearers went from 4,749 to 4,525 (-4.7% change). The surname moved down 69 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,052 to #7,121.
FAQ
Mapp surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mapp?
Name Census estimates that about 5,189 living Americans carry the surname Mapp. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 66,054 residents.
How common is Mapp?
Mapp ranks #7,121 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.51 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 4,525 people with the surname Mapp. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,189), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.51 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.51 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 Mapp.
Has Mapp become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mapp went from 4,749 recorded bearers to 4,525. That is a decrease of 224 (-4.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,052 to #7,121.
What does the Census say about the background of Mapp?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mapp, the largest self-reported group is Black at 69.1%. The next largest groups are White (21.9%) and Two or More Races (5.2%). 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 Mapp in the 2020 Census, accounting for 69.1% (3,129 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mapp appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (69.1%), White (21.9%), Two or More Races (5.2%). 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 Mapp (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 Mapp mean?
An English occupational surname for someone who made or sold maps. 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 Mapp (1.51 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 surname Mapp?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.