2000
#37,591
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 557
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.21
Very Rare Last name
Megan
A surname deriving from a Celtic word meaning "small" or "little."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 530 Americans carry the last name Megan. That puts it at #49,237 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.15 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 646,706 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Megan 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 Megan with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
530
1 in 646,706
Census rank
#49,237
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
462
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 462 bearers of the surname Megan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.15 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 49237th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Megan, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Black (4.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Megan
The surname Megan originates from Wales and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Welsh name Megan, which means "pearl" or "precious one." This name was commonly used in Wales during the Middle Ages and was likely adopted as a surname by families who bore it.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Megan can be found in the Valor Ecclesiasticus, a survey of ecclesiastical revenues conducted in Wales in the 13th century. The name is also mentioned in various Welsh genealogical records and manuscripts from the 14th and 15th centuries.
The surname Megan has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was Rhys Megan (c. 1450-1520), a Welsh landowner and supporter of the House of Tudor. Another notable figure was Gwilym Megan (c. 1520-1585), a Welsh poet and bard who was renowned for his cywyddau, a type of Welsh poetry.
In the 17th century, the surname Megan became more widespread in Wales and can be found in various parish records and legal documents. One prominent individual from this period was Evan Megan (1628-1701), a Welsh clergyman and author who wrote several works on Welsh history and literature.
The 18th century saw the emergence of several Megan families in different parts of Wales, including the Megans of Pembrokeshire and the Megans of Carmarthenshire. One notable figure from this period was John Megan (1735-1810), a Welsh landowner and philanthropist who donated generously to various charitable causes.
As the surname Megan spread beyond Wales, it also became associated with various place names and locations. For instance, the town of Megan in Pembrokeshire is believed to have derived its name from the surname. Additionally, there are several villages and hamlets in Wales with names that incorporate the word "Megan," such as Meganwy and Meganfryn.
Throughout history, the surname Megan has been borne by numerous individuals across various fields, including writers, artists, politicians, and academics. Some notable examples include the Welsh poet and writer Emyr Megan (1904-1987), the British historian and author Garry Megan (1925-2007), and the American actress Grace Megan (1878-1947).
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Megan
Among Census respondents with the surname Megan, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Black (4.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Megan 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 Megan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.4% · 390
- Hispanic or Latino6.5% · 30
- Black or African American4.5% · 21
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.8% · 13
- Two or more races1.5% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Megan
Megan 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
#43,285
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 499
-58 bearers (-10.4%)
Per 100,000 0.17
Rank movement Down 5,694 places
2020
#49,237
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 462
-37 bearers (-7.4%)
Per 100,000 0.15
Rank movement Down 5,952 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #37,591 | 557 | 0.21 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #43,285 | 499 | 0.17 | -58 bearers (-10.4%) | Down 5,694 places |
| 2020 | #49,237 | 462 | 0.15 | -37 bearers (-7.4%) | Down 5,952 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 Megan 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 | #43,285 | #49,237 | -13.8% |
| Count | 499 | 462 | -7.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.17 | 0.15 | -9.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Megan bearers went from 499 to 462 (-7.4% change). The surname moved down 5,952 positions in the national ranking, going from #43,285 to #49,237.
FAQ
Megan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Megan?
Name Census estimates that about 530 living Americans carry the surname Megan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 646,706 residents.
How common is Megan?
Megan ranks #49,237 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.15 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 462 people with the surname Megan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (530), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.15 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.15 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 Megan.
Has Megan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Megan went from 499 recorded bearers to 462. That is a decrease of 37 (-7.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #43,285 to #49,237.
What does the Census say about the background of Megan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Megan, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Black (4.5%). 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 Megan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.4% (390 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Megan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.4%), Hispanic (6.5%), Black (4.5%). 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 Megan (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 Megan mean?
A surname deriving from a Celtic word meaning "small" or "little." 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 Megan (0.15 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 Megan?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.