2000
#20,854
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,177
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.44
Rare Last name
Query
An occupational surname derived from the Old French word "cuerir", meaning to inquire or seek.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,196 Americans carry the last name Query. That puts it at #24,934 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.35 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 286,584 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Query 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
1.2K
1 in 286,584
Census rank
#24,934
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,043 bearers of the surname Query in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.35 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 24934th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Query, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.9%) and Two or More Races (3.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Query
The surname "Query" is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. The name is derived from the Old French word "quere," which means "to seek" or "to inquire." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a person who was inquisitive or curious by nature.
One of the earliest known references to the name "Query" can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were administrative records compiled during the reign of King Edward I. The name appears in these rolls as "Queri," which is likely an early spelling variation.
In the 14th century, the surname "Query" began to appear in various historical records and manuscripts, including the Patent Rolls of 1374, where it is spelled as "Querye." This document mentions a John Querye, who was granted certain land rights by the Crown.
During the 15th century, the name "Query" started to spread across different regions of England, with notable individuals bearing the surname emerging in various parts of the country. One such example is William Query, who was born in 1462 in Gloucestershire and served as a member of the local gentry.
As the centuries progressed, the name "Query" continued to evolve, with variations such as "Query," "Querie," and "Querrie" appearing in various historical records and documents. One notable figure from this period was Sir Thomas Query, who lived in the late 16th century and was a prominent landowner in Oxfordshire.
In the 17th century, the surname "Query" gained further prominence, with several individuals making significant contributions to various fields. One such individual was Samuel Query, born in 1623, who was a renowned scholar and theologian at the University of Cambridge.
Another notable figure from this era was Elizabeth Query, born in 1671, who was a celebrated poet and writer. Her works were widely acclaimed during her lifetime and have been preserved in various literary anthologies and collections.
As the centuries progressed, the surname "Query" continued to be associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, including academics, artists, and military personnel. One such individual was Captain John Query, who served in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War and was known for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Query
Among Census respondents with the surname Query, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.9%) and Two or More Races (3.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Query 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 Query surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.1% · 940
- Hispanic or Latino3.9% · 41
- Two or more races3.8% · 40
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 11
- Black or African American0.7% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Query
Query 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
#24,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,038
-139 bearers (-11.8%)
Per 100,000 0.35
Rank movement Down 3,347 places
2020
#24,934
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,043
+5 bearers (+0.5%)
Per 100,000 0.35
Rank movement Down 733 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #20,854 | 1,177 | 0.44 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #24,201 | 1,038 | 0.35 | -139 bearers (-11.8%) | Down 3,347 places |
| 2020 | #24,934 | 1,043 | 0.35 | +5 bearers (+0.5%) | Down 733 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 Query 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 | #24,201 | #24,934 | -3.0% |
| Count | 1,038 | 1,043 | 0.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.35 | 0.35 | -0.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Query bearers went from 1,038 to 1,043 (+0.5% change). The surname moved down 733 positions in the national ranking, going from #24,201 to #24,934.
FAQ
Query surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Query?
Name Census estimates that about 1,196 living Americans carry the surname Query. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 286,584 residents.
How common is Query?
Query ranks #24,934 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.35 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 1,043 people with the surname Query. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,196), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.35 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.35 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 Query.
Has Query become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Query went from 1,038 recorded bearers to 1,043. That is an increase of 5 (+0.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #24,201 to #24,934.
What does the Census say about the background of Query?
Among Census respondents with the surname Query, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.9%) and Two or More Races (3.8%). 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 Query in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.1% (940 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Query appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.1%), Hispanic (3.9%), Two or More Races (3.8%). 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 Query (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 Query mean?
An occupational surname derived from the Old French word "cuerir", meaning to inquire or seek. 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 Query (0.35 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 Americans have the surname Query?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.