2000
#124,872
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Match
A surname possibly derived from the Old English word "gemæcca" meaning an equal or mate.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Match. 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 Match 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 Match 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 Match, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.7%. The next largest groups are Black (7.9%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Match
The surname "Match" is believed to have originated in England, with the earliest known records dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "gemæcca," which means "an equal" or "a match." This term was commonly used to refer to someone who was a fitting companion or partner.
In the early days, the surname "Match" was often spelled in various ways, including "Mache," "Matche," and "Macche." These variations were common during the Middle Ages, as spelling was not standardized until much later. The name is also believed to have some connection to place names, particularly those containing the element "match," such as Matcham and Matchwick.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Match" can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1268, which mentions a person named William Match. Another early reference is in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327, where a John Match is listed.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname "Match." One of the earliest was Robert Match (c. 1350 - 1420), who was a prominent merchant and landowner in Somerset during the late 14th and early 15th centuries. Another notable figure was Thomas Match (1557 - 1635), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name "Match" gained some prominence in the literary world. Richard Match (1548 - 1619) was an English poet and playwright, best known for his work "The Metamorphosis of Pigmalion's Image." Another literary figure was Samuel Match (1630 - 1693), a writer and theologian who published several works on religious topics.
In the 18th century, one of the most notable individuals with the surname "Match" was Sir William Match (1722 - 1803), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War. He played a significant role in several battles and was later appointed as the Governor of Newfoundland.
Moving into the 19th century, a prominent figure was John Match (1815 - 1892), a wealthy industrialist and philanthropist from Manchester, England. He made significant contributions to the development of the city and was known for his charitable works.
Throughout its history, the surname "Match" has been found across various regions of England, with concentrations in counties such as Somerset, Sussex, and Suffolk. While not an exceedingly common surname, it has left its mark on the historical records and continues to be a part of the rich tapestry of English surnames.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Match
Among Census respondents with the surname Match, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.7%. The next largest groups are Black (7.9%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Match 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 Match surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.7% · 100
- Black or African American7.9% · 9
- Two or more races2.6% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Match
Match 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
-13 bearers (-10.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 20,348 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 | #124,872 | 127 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #145,220 | 114 | 0.04 | -13 bearers (-10.2%) | Down 20,348 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 Match 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 Match 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
Match surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Match?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Match. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Match?
Match 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 Match. 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 Match.
Has Match become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Match 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 Match?
Among Census respondents with the surname Match, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.7%. The next largest groups are Black (7.9%) and Two or More Races (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 Match in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.7% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Match appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.7%), Black (7.9%), Two or More Races (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 Match (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 Match mean?
A surname possibly derived from the Old English word "gemæcca" meaning an equal or mate. 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 Match (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 common is the surname Match?
See how common the surname Match is on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.