2000
#8,509
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,565
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.32
Rare Last name
Persons
An occupational surname referring to a parson, a clergyman or parish priest in the Church of England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,594 Americans carry the last name Persons. That puts it at #7,941 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.34 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 74,609 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Persons 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 Persons with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.6K
1 in 74,609
Census rank
#7,941
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,006 bearers of the surname Persons in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.34 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7941st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Persons, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.5%. The next largest groups are Black (9.1%) and Hispanic (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Persons
The surname Persons is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest known records dating back to the 13th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "persone," which referred to a person or individual, often used in reference to a member of the clergy or a person of importance.
One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a William Persone is mentioned. This record suggests that the name was already in use as a surname by the late 13th century.
Another early record of the name appears in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, which lists a John Persone. This document provides evidence of the surname's presence in the county of Yorkshire during the late 14th century.
In the 15th century, the name Persons can be found in various records, including the Register of the Freemen of the City of York from 1458, where a Richard Persons is listed. This suggests that individuals bearing the surname had established themselves in the city of York by the mid-15th century.
One notable figure with the surname Persons was Robert Persons (1546-1610), an English Jesuit priest and controversial writer who played a significant role in the Catholic missionary efforts in England during the Elizabethan era.
Another individual of historical significance was John Persons (1572-1636), an English writer and translator who is best known for his English translation of the works of the Italian philosopher and courtier, Baldassare Castiglione.
In the 17th century, the surname Persons appears in the records of several English colonies in North America. For example, a John Persons is listed among the early settlers of Virginia in 1623, suggesting that individuals with this surname had begun to migrate to the New World during this period.
A notable figure from the 18th century with the surname Persons was William Persons (1742-1826), an American Revolutionary War soldier and politician who served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates and as a representative in the United States Congress.
In the 19th century, the name Persons can be found in various records and documents across different regions of the United States, indicating its widespread adoption and distribution throughout the country.
While the surname Persons has evolved over time and may have had various spellings and regional variations, it remains a testament to its English origins and the historical significance of individuals who have borne this name throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Persons
Among Census respondents with the surname Persons, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.5%. The next largest groups are Black (9.1%) and Hispanic (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Persons 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 Persons surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.5% · 3,305
- Black or African American9.1% · 366
- Hispanic or Latino4.0% · 162
- Two or more races3.1% · 123
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 33
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 17
Timeline
Historical Census data for Persons
Persons 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
#9,064
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,606
+41 bearers (+1.2%)
Per 100,000 1.22
Rank movement Down 555 places
2020
#7,941
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,006
+400 bearers (+11.1%)
Per 100,000 1.34
Rank movement Up 1,123 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,509 | 3,565 | 1.32 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,064 | 3,606 | 1.22 | +41 bearers (+1.2%) | Down 555 places |
| 2020 | #7,941 | 4,006 | 1.34 | +400 bearers (+11.1%) | Up 1,123 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 Persons 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 | #9,064 | #7,941 | 12.4% |
| Count | 3,606 | 4,006 | 11.1% |
| Per 100K | 1.22 | 1.34 | 9.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Persons bearers went from 3,606 to 4,006 (+11.1% change). The surname moved up 1,123 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,064 to #7,941.
FAQ
Persons surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Persons?
Name Census estimates that about 4,594 living Americans carry the surname Persons. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 74,609 residents.
How common is Persons?
Persons ranks #7,941 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.34 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 4,006 people with the surname Persons. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,594), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.34 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.34 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 Persons.
Has Persons become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Persons went from 3,606 recorded bearers to 4,006. That is an increase of 400 (+11.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,064 to #7,941.
What does the Census say about the background of Persons?
Among Census respondents with the surname Persons, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.5%. The next largest groups are Black (9.1%) and Hispanic (4.0%). 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 Persons in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.5% (3,305 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Persons appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.5%), Black (9.1%), Hispanic (4.0%). 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 Persons (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 Persons mean?
An occupational surname referring to a parson, a clergyman or parish priest in the Church of England. 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 Persons (1.34 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 share the surname Persons?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.