2000
#2,885
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,414
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.23
Uncommon Last name
Sample
A surname derived from the place name Semple, likely referring to someone from Semple in Renfrewshire, Scotland.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 12,512 Americans carry the last name Sample. That puts it at #3,226 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.65 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 27,394 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sample 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 Sample with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
13K
1 in 27,394
Census rank
#3,226
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
11K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,911 bearers of the surname Sample in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.65 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3226th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sample, the largest self-reported group is White at 66.5%. The next largest groups are Black (23.9%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sample
The surname SAMPLE is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, derived from the Old English word "sampl" or "sampel," meaning a small portion or example. It likely referred to an occupation or a descriptive nickname for someone who worked as a sampler or taster of goods.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname SAMPLE can be traced back to the 13th century in various county records and tax rolls. One notable example is John Sampler, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1275. The name also appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1279, with a reference to William le Sampeler.
During the 14th century, the surname SAMPLE began to appear in various forms, including Sampler, Sampeler, and Samplour. These variants reflect the evolving spelling and pronunciation of the name over time. One of the earliest known bearers was Walter Sampelere, recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327.
In the 15th century, the surname SAMPLE gained prominence with the birth of Sir John Sample (1415-1484), a prominent landowner and member of the gentry in Warwickshire. His descendants continued to hold significant estates and positions of influence in the region for several generations.
Another notable figure bearing the surname SAMPLE was Thomas Sample (1542-1618), an English clergyman and translator of religious texts. He served as the rector of St. Botolph's Church in Bishopsgate, London, and was known for his scholarly works on biblical interpretation.
During the 17th century, the SAMPLE surname spread across England, with various branches establishing themselves in different counties. One notable individual was Captain William Sample (1628-1692), a renowned sailor and explorer who captained several voyages to the West Indies and the Americas.
In the 18th century, the SAMPLE family continued to flourish, with several members achieving distinction in various fields. Notable among them was Sir Robert Sample (1725-1802), a prominent lawyer and judge who served as the Lord Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas.
Throughout history, the surname SAMPLE has been associated with various occupations, from merchants and tradesmen to scholars, clergymen, and landowners. While its origins lie in the humble occupation of a sampler or taster, the name has gained respect and recognition over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sample
Among Census respondents with the surname Sample, the largest self-reported group is White at 66.5%. The next largest groups are Black (23.9%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Sample 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 Sample surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White66.5% · 7,257
- Black or African American23.9% · 2,612
- Two or more races4.5% · 493
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 408
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 87
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 54
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sample
Sample 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
#3,150
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,471
+57 bearers (+0.5%)
Per 100,000 3.89
Rank movement Down 265 places
2020
#3,226
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,911
-560 bearers (-4.9%)
Per 100,000 3.65
Rank movement Down 76 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,885 | 11,414 | 4.23 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,150 | 11,471 | 3.89 | +57 bearers (+0.5%) | Down 265 places |
| 2020 | #3,226 | 10,911 | 3.65 | -560 bearers (-4.9%) | Down 76 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 Sample 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 | #3,150 | #3,226 | -2.4% |
| Count | 11,471 | 10,911 | -4.9% |
| Per 100K | 3.89 | 3.65 | -6.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sample bearers went from 11,471 to 10,911 (-4.9% change). The surname moved down 76 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,150 to #3,226.
FAQ
Sample surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sample?
Name Census estimates that about 12,512 living Americans carry the surname Sample. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 27,394 residents.
How common is Sample?
Sample ranks #3,226 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.65 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 10,911 people with the surname Sample. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (12,512), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.65 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.65 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 Sample.
Has Sample become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sample went from 11,471 recorded bearers to 10,911. That is a decrease of 560 (-4.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,150 to #3,226.
What does the Census say about the background of Sample?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sample, the largest self-reported group is White at 66.5%. The next largest groups are Black (23.9%) and Two or More Races (4.5%). 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 Sample in the 2020 Census, accounting for 66.5% (7,257 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sample appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (66.5%), Black (23.9%), Two or More Races (4.5%). 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 Sample (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 Sample mean?
A surname derived from the place name Semple, likely referring to someone from Semple in Renfrewshire, Scotland. 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 Sample (3.65 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 Sample?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.