Find out how popular the last name Mason is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Mason.

Mason, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Mason surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mason in America

Mason is the 166th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mason surname appeared 160,213 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 54 people would have the surname Mason.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mason to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Mason

The surname Mason originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word 'masson', which means a builder of stone walls and structures. This occupation surname was given to skilled stonemasons who constructed castles, churches, and other buildings during the Middle Ages.

The earliest recorded use of the surname Mason can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and population in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as 'Mascun' and 'Mazun', reflecting the evolution of the English language over time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was William le Masun, who lived in Oxfordshire in the late 12th century. Another notable figure was John Mason (c. 1503-1566), a prominent English diplomat and naval commander during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

During the 16th century, the Mason surname was particularly prevalent in the county of Yorkshire, where many skilled masons were employed in the construction of grand houses and ecclesiastical buildings. The name is also associated with several place names, such as Masham in North Yorkshire, which likely derived from the Old English words 'mæsse' (mass) and 'ham' (homestead).

George Mason (1725-1792) was a prominent American statesman and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He was instrumental in drafting the Virginia Declaration of Rights and the United States Constitution. Another famous bearer of the name was James Mason (1909-1984), an English actor renowned for his roles in films such as "A Star Is Born" and "Lolita".

Other notable individuals with the Mason surname include Charles Mason (1730-1787), an English astronomer and surveyor who helped establish the Mason-Dixon line, the boundary between Pennsylvania and Maryland; and Raymond E.B. Mason (1899-1988), an American businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the Marriott Corporation.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mason

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Mason.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Mason was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Mason has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Mason was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Mason, please contact us.

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