2000
#2,405
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,824
First available Census row
Per 100,000 5.12
Uncommon Last name
Satterfield
Originating from English placenames derived from Old English elements meaning "town or open land where cattle graze."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 15,121 Americans carry the last name Satterfield. That puts it at #2,671 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.41 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 22,667 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Satterfield 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
15K
1 in 22,667
Census rank
#2,671
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
13K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 13,186 bearers of the surname Satterfield in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.41 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2671st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Satterfield, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.9%. The next largest groups are Black (11.2%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Satterfield
The surname SATTERFIELD is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "saeter" meaning someone who occupied a dwelling or hut, and "feld" meaning an open field or clearing. It is believed to have originated in the 12th century as a descriptive name for someone who lived or worked in a small settlement or clearing in a wooded area.
The earliest known recording of the name SATTERFIELD can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1195, where it appears as "Roger de Saterfeld." This suggests that the name may have originated in the Nottinghamshire region of England. Other early spellings include "Saterfielde" and "Satirfeld."
In the 13th century, the surname SATTERFIELD appears in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire, indicating its presence in that county as well. Additionally, the name is mentioned in the Feet of Fines records for Somerset in 1346, demonstrating its spread across various regions of England during the Middle Ages.
One notable historical figure bearing the SATTERFIELD surname was John Satterfield, born in 1592 in Lincolnshire, England. He was a merchant and trader who was involved in the early colonial efforts in Virginia, arriving in the colony in 1619 as part of the Virginia Company.
Another prominent individual was William Satterfield, born in 1654 in Northamptonshire, England. He was a Puritan minister who emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony in the late 17th century and became a prominent figure in the religious community there.
In the 18th century, Thomas Satterfield, born in 1712 in Yorkshire, England, served as a captain in the British Army during the French and Indian War. He played a role in several key battles and was later granted land in Virginia for his service.
Mary Satterfield, born in 1768 in Gloucestershire, England, was a notable writer and poet during the Romantic era. Her work focused on themes of nature and rural life, and she gained recognition for her vivid descriptions and lyrical style.
The SATTERFIELD surname can also be found in historical records related to various place names in England, such as Satterfield Green in Leicestershire and Satterfield Farm in Wiltshire, further indicating the name's geographical origins and connections.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Satterfield
Among Census respondents with the surname Satterfield, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.9%. The next largest groups are Black (11.2%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Satterfield 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 Satterfield surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White79.9% · 10,532
- Black or African American11.2% · 1,476
- Two or more races4.7% · 620
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 349
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 123
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 86
Timeline
Historical Census data for Satterfield
Satterfield 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
#2,577
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 14,023
+199 bearers (+1.4%)
Per 100,000 4.75
Rank movement Down 172 places
2020
#2,671
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,186
-837 bearers (-6.0%)
Per 100,000 4.41
Rank movement Down 94 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,405 | 13,824 | 5.12 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,577 | 14,023 | 4.75 | +199 bearers (+1.4%) | Down 172 places |
| 2020 | #2,671 | 13,186 | 4.41 | -837 bearers (-6.0%) | Down 94 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 Satterfield 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 | #2,577 | #2,671 | -3.6% |
| Count | 14,023 | 13,186 | -6.0% |
| Per 100K | 4.75 | 4.41 | -7.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Satterfield bearers went from 14,023 to 13,186 (-6.0% change). The surname moved down 94 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,577 to #2,671.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Satterfield
FAQ
Satterfield surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Satterfield?
Name Census estimates that about 15,121 living Americans carry the surname Satterfield. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 22,667 residents.
How common is Satterfield?
Satterfield ranks #2,671 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.41 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 13,186 people with the surname Satterfield. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (15,121), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.41 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.41 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 Satterfield.
Has Satterfield become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Satterfield went from 14,023 recorded bearers to 13,186. That is a decrease of 837 (-6.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,577 to #2,671.
What does the Census say about the background of Satterfield?
Among Census respondents with the surname Satterfield, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.9%. The next largest groups are Black (11.2%) and Two or More Races (4.7%). 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 Satterfield in the 2020 Census, accounting for 79.9% (10,532 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Satterfield appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (79.9%), Black (11.2%), Two or More Races (4.7%). 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 Satterfield (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 Satterfield mean?
Originating from English placenames derived from Old English elements meaning "town or open land where cattle graze." 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 Satterfield (4.41 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 last name Satterfield?
If you just want to know how many people have the last name Satterfield, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.