2000
#17,781
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,452
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.54
Rare Last name
Meas
Cambodian surname derived from the Sanskrit word for "gold" or referring to someone with a golden complexion.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,245 Americans carry the last name Meas. That puts it at #14,606 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.66 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 152,675 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Meas 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
2.2K
1 in 152,675
Census rank
#14,606
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,958 bearers of the surname Meas in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.66 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14606th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Meas, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 87.5%. The next largest groups are White (4.4%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Meas
The surname MEAS is believed to have originated in England, with roots dating back to the 11th century. It may have derived from the Old English word "mæs," which means "meadow" or "pasture." This suggests that the name could have been initially given to individuals who lived near or owned meadows or pasture lands.
The earliest recorded instances of the MEAS surname can be found in various historical records from the medieval period. One notable mention is in the Domesday Book of 1086, where the name appears as "Meads" in the county of Hertfordshire. This entry suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.
In the 13th century, the surname appears in various forms such as "Mees," "Mese," and "Meas" in various county records across England. This variation in spelling was common during that time, as standardized spelling had not yet been established.
One of the earliest known individuals with the MEAS surname was Robert de Mease, a landowner who lived in Staffordshire, England, in the late 12th century. Another notable figure was John Meas, a merchant from London, who was mentioned in records from the early 15th century.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname MEAS was associated with several prominent individuals. Sir John Meas (1545-1619) was a renowned lawyer and Member of Parliament who served under Queen Elizabeth I. William Meas (1605-1682) was a renowned English clergyman and author who wrote several theological works.
In the 18th century, the MEAS surname continued to be found in various parts of England. One notable figure was Richard Meas (1735-1805), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Yorkshire, who donated significant funds to support education and poverty relief in his local community.
Throughout the 19th century, the MEAS surname was present in various regions of England, with individuals working in various professions, including agriculture, trade, and manufacturing. One notable figure from this period was Charles Meas (1810-1876), a renowned horticulturist and author of several books on gardening and plant cultivation.
As the MEAS surname spread across different parts of England, it also experienced variations in spelling, with forms such as "Meese," "Meace," and "Measse" appearing in various historical records. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and scribal errors in recording names.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Meas
Among Census respondents with the surname Meas, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 87.5%. The next largest groups are White (4.4%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Meas 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 Meas surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander87.5% · 1,714
- White4.4% · 87
- Two or more races4.2% · 82
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 65
- Black or African American0.5% · 10
Timeline
Historical Census data for Meas
Meas 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
#15,246
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,929
+477 bearers (+32.9%)
Per 100,000 0.65
Rank movement Up 2,535 places
2020
#14,606
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,958
+29 bearers (+1.5%)
Per 100,000 0.66
Rank movement Up 640 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #17,781 | 1,452 | 0.54 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #15,246 | 1,929 | 0.65 | +477 bearers (+32.9%) | Up 2,535 places |
| 2020 | #14,606 | 1,958 | 0.66 | +29 bearers (+1.5%) | Up 640 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 Meas 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 | #15,246 | #14,606 | 4.2% |
| Count | 1,929 | 1,958 | 1.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.65 | 0.66 | 0.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Meas bearers went from 1,929 to 1,958 (+1.5% change). The surname moved up 640 positions in the national ranking, going from #15,246 to #14,606.
FAQ
Meas surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Meas?
Name Census estimates that about 2,245 living Americans carry the surname Meas. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 152,675 residents.
How common is Meas?
Meas ranks #14,606 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 1,958 people with the surname Meas. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,245), 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 Meas.
Has Meas become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Meas went from 1,929 recorded bearers to 1,958. That is an increase of 29 (+1.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #15,246 to #14,606.
What does the Census say about the background of Meas?
Among Census respondents with the surname Meas, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 87.5%. The next largest groups are White (4.4%) and Two or More Races (4.2%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Meas in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.5% (1,714 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Meas appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (87.5%), White (4.4%), Two or More Races (4.2%). 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 Meas (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 Meas mean?
Cambodian surname derived from the Sanskrit word for "gold" or referring to someone with a golden complexion. 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 Meas (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 people have the surname Meas?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.