2000
#507
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 59,020
First available Census row
Per 100,000 21.88
Uncommon Last name
Roman
A surname indicating a person from Rome or an ancient Roman citizen, or referring to someone with Roman characteristics.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 83,013 Americans carry the last name Roman. That puts it at #444 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 24.22 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 4,129 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Roman 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 Roman with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
83K
1 in 4,129
Census rank
#444
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
24.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
72K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 72,391 bearers of the surname Roman in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 24.22 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 444th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Roman, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 76.1%. The next largest groups are White (19.6%) and Black (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Roman
The surname ROMAN has its origins in England, dating back to the time of the Norman Conquest in the 11th century. The name is derived from the Latin word "Romanus," which means "Roman" or "of Rome." It is believed to have been initially adopted as a surname by those who had migrated from Rome or who had some connection to the city.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ROMAN can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and properties in England compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name was already in use among the Anglo-Norman population during that period.
In the 12th century, a prominent figure named Robertus Romanus was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, England. These rolls were financial records maintained by the English Exchequer, indicating that Robertus Romanus held a position of importance and likely owned land or property.
During the 13th century, a notable individual named William Roman was recorded in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire. The Hundred Rolls were administrative records that documented landholdings and legal disputes in various counties of England.
In the 14th century, the name ROMAN appeared in the records of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a person named John Roman was listed as a landowner. This further solidifies the presence of the name in different regions of England during the medieval period.
One of the earliest known bearers of the surname ROMAN was Sir William Roman, a prominent English soldier and diplomat who lived in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. He served under King Richard II and later became a member of the Privy Council during the reign of King Henry IV.
Another notable figure with the surname ROMAN was John Roman, an English Protestant reformer and clergyman who lived during the 16th century. He played a significant role in the English Reformation and served as a chaplain to King Edward VI.
In the 17th century, the name ROMAN was associated with the English philosopher and scientist, Robert Roman, who made contributions to the field of optics and was a member of the Royal Society.
Fast forward to the 18th century, and we find the Scottish poet and playwright, John Roman, who was born in Edinburgh in 1728. His works included several popular plays and poems that were widely acclaimed during his time.
The 19th century saw the rise of Sir William Roman, a British diplomat and statesman who served as the Governor of Bombay and later became a member of the Privy Council. He played a crucial role in shaping British policies in India during the latter half of the century.
These examples illustrate the long and diverse history of the surname ROMAN, which has been present in various regions of England and Scotland for centuries. The name has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including soldiers, diplomats, clergymen, philosophers, and writers, reflecting its enduring presence and significance throughout British history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Roman
Among Census respondents with the surname Roman, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 76.1%. The next largest groups are White (19.6%) and Black (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Roman 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 Roman surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino76.1% · 55,100
- White19.6% · 14,196
- Black or African American2.0% · 1,422
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.2% · 866
- Two or more races0.9% · 650
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 157
Timeline
Historical Census data for Roman
Roman 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
#452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 72,918
+13,898 bearers (+23.5%)
Per 100,000 24.72
Rank movement Up 55 places
2020
#444
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 72,391
-527 bearers (-0.7%)
Per 100,000 24.22
Rank movement Up 8 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #507 | 59,020 | 21.88 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #452 | 72,918 | 24.72 | +13,898 bearers (+23.5%) | Up 55 places |
| 2020 | #444 | 72,391 | 24.22 | -527 bearers (-0.7%) | Up 8 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 Roman 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 | #452 | #444 | 1.8% |
| Count | 72,918 | 72,391 | -0.7% |
| Per 100K | 24.72 | 24.22 | -2.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Roman bearers went from 72,918 to 72,391 (-0.7% change). The surname moved up 8 positions in the national ranking, going from #452 to #444.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Roman
FAQ
Roman surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Roman?
Name Census estimates that about 83,013 living Americans carry the surname Roman. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 4,129 residents.
How common is Roman?
Roman ranks #444 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 24.22 per 100,000 residents, which is about 24 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 72,391 people with the surname Roman. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (83,013), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 24.22 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 24.22 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 24 of them to have the surname Roman.
Has Roman become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Roman went from 72,918 recorded bearers to 72,391. That is a decrease of 527 (-0.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #452 to #444.
What does the Census say about the background of Roman?
Among Census respondents with the surname Roman, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 76.1%. The next largest groups are White (19.6%) and Black (2.0%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Roman in the 2020 Census, accounting for 76.1% (55,100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Roman appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (76.1%), White (19.6%), Black (2.0%). 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 Roman (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 Roman mean?
A surname indicating a person from Rome or an ancient Roman citizen, or referring to someone with Roman characteristics. 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 Roman (24.22 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 common is the surname Roman?
Find out how common the surname Roman is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.