2010
#32,599
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 705
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.24
Uncommon Last name
Ref
A Scottish surname derived from an Old Norse word meaning "fox."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 12,113 Americans carry the last name Ref. That puts it at #3,337 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.53 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 28,296 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ref 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
12K
1 in 28,296
Census rank
#3,337
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
11K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,563 bearers of the surname Ref in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.53 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3337th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ref, the largest self-reported group is White at 49.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (21.2%) and Black (19.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ref
The surname REF originates from France and is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century. It is thought to have been derived from the Old French word "ref," which means "reef" or "sandbank." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a reef or sandbank.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name REF can be found in the Livre des Métiers, a medieval document from Paris dating back to the 13th century. The text mentions a certain "Jehan le Ref," indicating that the name was already in use at that time.
Another historical reference to the name REF comes from the Hundred Rolls, a series of records commissioned by King Edward I of England in the late 13th century. These rolls contain information about landholders and their properties, and they include several individuals with the surname REF or variations thereof, such as "Robert le Ref" and "William le Reff."
One notable bearer of the name REF was Pierre REF, a French theologian and philosopher who lived in the 14th century (c. 1320-1382). He was known for his work on the philosophical concept of universals and his contributions to the scholastic tradition.
In the 15th century, there was a notable French family named REF who owned land in the region of Brittany. One member of this family, Jehan REF (c. 1425-1498), was a prominent nobleman and military commander who served under several French kings.
Another famous person with the surname REF was the English poet and playwright Thomas REF (c. 1555-1592). Although not much is known about his life, he is remembered for his contribution to English literature, particularly his collection of poems titled "The Phoenix Nest."
As the surname spread throughout Europe, it took on various spellings and forms, such as Reff, Reffe, and Reffé. In some regions, the name was also associated with certain place names, such as the village of Reffuveille in northern France or the town of Reffye in the Burgundy region.
While the surname REF is not as common today as it once was, it remains a part of the rich tapestry of European surnames, reflecting the diverse histories and cultures that have shaped the continent over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ref
Among Census respondents with the surname Ref, the largest self-reported group is White at 49.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (21.2%) and Black (19.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Ref 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 Ref surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White49.3% · 5,212
- Hispanic or Latino21.2% · 2,241
- Black or African American19.6% · 2,074
- Asian and Pacific Islander6.1% · 640
- Two or more races2.6% · 273
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.2% · 123
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ref
Ref appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#3,337
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,563
+9,858 bearers (+1398.3%)
Per 100,000 3.53
Rank movement Up 29,262 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #32,599 | 705 | 0.24 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #3,337 | 10,563 | 3.53 | +9,858 bearers (+1398.3%) | Up 29,262 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 Ref 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 | #32,599 | #3,337 | 89.8% |
| Count | 705 | 10,563 | 1398.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.24 | 3.53 | 1372.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ref bearers went from 705 to 10,563 (+1398.3% change). The surname moved up 29,262 positions in the national ranking, going from #32,599 to #3,337.
FAQ
Ref surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ref?
Name Census estimates that about 12,113 living Americans carry the surname Ref. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 28,296 residents.
How common is Ref?
Ref ranks #3,337 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.53 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,563 people with the surname Ref. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (12,113), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.53 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.53 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Ref.
Has Ref become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ref went from 705 recorded bearers to 10,563. That is an increase of 9,858 (+1398.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #32,599 to #3,337.
What does the Census say about the background of Ref?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ref, the largest self-reported group is White at 49.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (21.2%) and Black (19.6%). 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 Ref in the 2020 Census, accounting for 49.3% (5,212 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ref appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (49.3%), Hispanic (21.2%), Black (19.6%). 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 Ref (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 Ref mean?
A Scottish surname derived from an Old Norse word meaning "fox." 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 Ref (3.53 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 last name Ref?
Find out how many Americans have the surname Ref on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.