2010
#147,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Samsonov
A Russian surname derived from the biblical name Samson, meaning "sun child".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Samsonov. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Samsonov 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Samsonov in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Samsonov, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Samsonov
The surname Samsonov is of Russian origin, with its roots dating back to the 17th century. It is a patronymic surname, derived from the Russian name Samson, which in turn traces its origins to the biblical figure Samson, known for his immense strength.
The earliest recorded instances of the Samsonov surname can be found in various historical documents and records from the Russian Empire, particularly in the regions of Moscow and St. Petersburg. The name's initial spelling variations included Samsonoff and Samsonof.
One notable early bearer of the Samsonov name was Ivan Samsonov, a Russian military leader born in the late 16th century. He played a crucial role in the defense of Moscow during the Polish-Russian War of 1605-1618, earning recognition for his bravery and strategic acumen.
In the 18th century, the Samsonov family gained prominence with Alexei Samsonov, a wealthy merchant and landowner who established a successful trading business in St. Petersburg. His descendants continued to contribute to the economic and cultural life of the city.
The 19th century saw the rise of several prominent figures bearing the Samsonov surname, including Nikolai Samsonov (1815-1887), a revered Russian architect known for his work on the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow.
Another notable figure was Alexander Samsonov (1859-1914), a Russian general who played a significant role in the early stages of World War I. He led the Russian Second Army during the initial Russian invasion of East Prussia but suffered a devastating defeat at the Battle of Tannenberg in 1914, ultimately taking his own life after the battle.
In the realm of literature, the Samsonov name is associated with Vasily Samsonov (1884-1942), a renowned Russian writer and poet who contributed to the development of the Soviet literary canon in the early 20th century.
Throughout its history, the Samsonov surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including military leaders, businessmen, artists, and intellectuals, all leaving their mark on the cultural tapestry of Russia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Samsonov
Among Census respondents with the surname Samsonov, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Samsonov 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 Samsonov surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.8% · 114
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Samsonov
Samsonov 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
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+7 bearers (+6.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,465 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.3%) | Up 4,465 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 Samsonov 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 | #147,253 | #142,788 | 3.0% |
| Count | 112 | 119 | 6.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Samsonov bearers went from 112 to 119 (+6.3% change). The surname moved up 4,465 positions in the national ranking, going from #147,253 to #142,788.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Samsonov
FAQ
Samsonov surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Samsonov?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Samsonov. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Samsonov?
Samsonov ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Samsonov. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Samsonov.
Has Samsonov become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Samsonov went from 112 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 7 (+6.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #147,253 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Samsonov?
Among Census respondents with the surname Samsonov, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%). 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 Samsonov in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.8% (114 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Samsonov appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.8%), Hispanic (3.4%), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%). 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 Samsonov (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 Samsonov mean?
A Russian surname derived from the biblical name Samson, meaning "sun child". 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 Samsonov (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 have the surname Samsonov?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.