2000
#139,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Rare Last name
Res
Of Latin origin, meaning "thing" or "object".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,400 Americans carry the last name Res. That puts it at #13,826 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.70 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 142,814 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Res 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
2.4K
1 in 142,814
Census rank
#13,826
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,093 bearers of the surname Res in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.70 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13826th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Res, the largest self-reported group is White at 34.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (30.0%) and Black (16.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Res
The surname RES has its origins in the Scandinavian countries, particularly Norway and Sweden, where it can be traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old Norse word "ress," which means "pole" or "stake," indicating that the initial bearers of this name may have been involved in occupations related to fishing, hunting, or other outdoor activities involving the use of poles or stakes.
One of the earliest recorded references to the surname RES can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, where a man named Thorvald Res is mentioned as a prominent figure in the late 12th century. The sagas describe him as a skilled hunter and explorer who traveled extensively across the Nordic regions.
In Sweden, the name RES can be found in historical records dating back to the 14th century. One notable example is Nils Res, a prominent merchant and ship owner from the city of Kalmar, who lived between 1325 and 1395. His name appears in several trade documents and shipping logs from that period.
The RES surname also has a presence in Denmark, where it is believed to have been introduced by Norwegian or Swedish settlers during the medieval period. One of the earliest recorded Danish individuals with this name was Jens Res, a farmer who lived in the village of Slagelse on the island of Zealand in the late 15th century.
In Norway, the RES surname has a long and distinguished history. One of the most famous bearers of this name was Peder Res, a renowned explorer and navigator who lived from 1515 to 1590. He was one of the first Europeans to chart the coastlines of Greenland and played a crucial role in the exploration of the Arctic regions.
Another notable Norwegian with the surname RES was Olav Res, a prominent clergyman and scholar who lived from 1620 to 1688. He served as the Bishop of Bergen and was known for his extensive writings on theology and church history.
The RES surname can also be found in other parts of Europe, though its presence is less significant than in the Nordic countries. In some cases, the name may have been adopted by individuals who migrated from Scandinavia or had ancestors with Nordic roots.
Overall, the surname RES has a rich and diverse history, with its roots firmly planted in the cultural and linguistic traditions of the Scandinavian region. While its meaning and origins may have evolved over time, it remains a testament to the enduring legacy of the Norse people and their influence on modern-day surnames.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Res
Among Census respondents with the surname Res, the largest self-reported group is White at 34.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (30.0%) and Black (16.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Res 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 Res surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White34.2% · 715
- Hispanic or Latino30.0% · 627
- Black or African American16.7% · 349
- Asian and Pacific Islander9.7% · 202
- American Indian and Alaska Native7.9% · 165
- Two or more races1.7% · 35
Timeline
Historical Census data for Res
Res 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
#129,825
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 131
+21 bearers (+19.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 9,932 places
2020
#13,826
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,093
+1,962 bearers (+1497.7%)
Per 100,000 0.70
Rank movement Up 115,999 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #139,757 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #129,825 | 131 | 0.04 | +21 bearers (+19.1%) | Up 9,932 places |
| 2020 | #13,826 | 2,093 | 0.70 | +1,962 bearers (+1497.7%) | Up 115,999 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 Res 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 | #129,825 | #13,826 | 89.4% |
| Count | 131 | 2,093 | 1497.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.70 | 1650.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Res bearers went from 131 to 2,093 (+1497.7% change). The surname moved up 115,999 positions in the national ranking, going from #129,825 to #13,826.
FAQ
Res surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Res?
Name Census estimates that about 2,400 living Americans carry the surname Res. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 142,814 residents.
How common is Res?
Res ranks #13,826 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.70 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 2,093 people with the surname Res. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,400), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.7 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.70 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 Res.
Has Res become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Res went from 131 recorded bearers to 2,093. That is an increase of 1,962 (+1497.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #129,825 to #13,826.
What does the Census say about the background of Res?
Among Census respondents with the surname Res, the largest self-reported group is White at 34.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (30.0%) and Black (16.7%). 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 Res in the 2020 Census, accounting for 34.2% (715 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Res appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (34.2%), Hispanic (30.0%), Black (16.7%). 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 Res (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 Res mean?
Of Latin origin, meaning "thing" or "object". 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 Res (0.70 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 Res?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.