2000
#118,236
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 136
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Richson
A surname possibly derived from a combination of "rich" and "son", suggesting an affluent ancestor.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Richson. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Richson 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
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Richson in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Richson, the largest self-reported group is Black at 47.2%. The next largest groups are White (43.5%) and Hispanic (5.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Richson
The surname Richson originated in England during the medieval period, sometime around the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "ric" meaning powerful or rich, and "sunu" meaning son. Thus, the name Richson would have initially referred to the son of a wealthy or powerful individual.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Richson can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk from 1273, where a Roger Richesone is mentioned. This document provides evidence of the name's existence and its early spelling variations.
During the 14th century, the Richson name appeared in various records across different regions of England. For example, the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 list a John Rychesone, while the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379 mention a William Richeson.
The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings and property ownership in England compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the Richson surname. However, it does document individuals with similar names, such as Richard and Ricard, which may have been precursors to the later development of the Richson name.
One notable figure bearing the Richson surname was Sir John Richson, a prominent English merchant and politician who lived from 1535 to 1612. He served as the Lord Mayor of London and was a member of the Company of Mercers, one of the oldest livery companies in the City of London.
Another individual of historical significance was Thomas Richson, born in 1602 in Norfolk, England. He was a renowned Puritan minister and author, known for his influential works on religious topics, such as "The Christian's Guide to Eternal Life" published in 1658.
In the 18th century, the Richson name gained recognition through the accomplishments of William Richson (1742-1821), a English naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. He rose to the rank of Admiral and was honored for his distinguished service.
During the 19th century, the Richson surname was associated with several notable figures, including Sir Robert Richson (1823-1897), a British diplomat and politician who served as the Governor of Madras Presidency in India from 1875 to 1880.
Another prominent individual was Mary Richson (1854-1932), an English author and educator who wrote several books on literature and education, including "The Art of Teaching Literature" published in 1892.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Richson
Among Census respondents with the surname Richson, the largest self-reported group is Black at 47.2%. The next largest groups are White (43.5%) and Hispanic (5.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Richson 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 Richson surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American47.2% · 51
- White43.5% · 47
- Hispanic or Latino5.6% · 6
- Two or more races3.7% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Richson
Richson 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
#133,048
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
-9 bearers (-6.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 14,812 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-19 bearers (-15.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 17,887 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #118,236 | 136 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,048 | 127 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-6.6%) | Down 14,812 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | -19 bearers (-15.0%) | Down 17,887 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 Richson 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 | #133,048 | #150,935 | -13.4% |
| Count | 127 | 108 | -15.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Richson bearers went from 127 to 108 (-15.0% change). The surname moved down 17,887 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,048 to #150,935.
FAQ
Richson surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Richson?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Richson. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Richson?
Richson ranks #150,935 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 108 people with the surname Richson. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Richson.
Has Richson become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Richson went from 127 recorded bearers to 108. That is a decrease of 19 (-15.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,048 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Richson?
Among Census respondents with the surname Richson, the largest self-reported group is Black at 47.2%. The next largest groups are White (43.5%) and Hispanic (5.6%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Richson in the 2020 Census, accounting for 47.2% (51 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Richson appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (47.2%), White (43.5%), Hispanic (5.6%). 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 Richson (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 Richson mean?
A surname possibly derived from a combination of "rich" and "son", suggesting an affluent ancestor. 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 Richson (0.04 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 Richson?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.