2000
#13,112
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,138
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.79
Rare Last name
Say
An occupational surname for a professional reciter or orator, derived from the Old English word secgan, meaning "to say."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 7,117 Americans carry the last name Say. That puts it at #5,430 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 48,160 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Say 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 Say with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
7.1K
1 in 48,160
Census rank
#5,430
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,206 bearers of the surname Say in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5430th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Say, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 61.7%. The next largest groups are White (23.5%) and Hispanic (9.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Say
The surname Say is believed to have originated in England, deriving from the Old English word "saec," which means "quarrel" or "dispute." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who was known for being argumentative or prone to conflicts.
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the late 12th century in various counties across England, such as Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, there is a mention of a Richard le Say in Oxfordshire.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name appeared in various forms, including Saye, Seye, and Seie, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common in that era. One notable figure from this period was Geoffrey de Say, who lived in the late 13th century and held lands in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.
In the 15th century, the name was associated with the Say family of Berkshire, a prominent noble family that held significant influence and wealth. Sir John Say, born in 1420, was a member of this family and served as a courtier to King Henry VI.
The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and their holdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Say. However, it does mention several places with similar-sounding names, such as Saham in Norfolk and Saighton in Cheshire, which may have influenced the development of the surname.
Moving forward to the 16th century, the name gained prominence with individuals like William Say, a renowned Elizabethan playwright and poet born in 1552 in Worcestershire. Another notable figure was Sir John Say, born in 1545, who served as a Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire and played a role in the Gunpowder Plot investigations.
In the 17th century, the surname was associated with prominent figures such as Samuel Say, an English clergyman and author born in 1625, and Benjamin Say, an English physician and naturalist born in 1670.
By the 18th century, the name had spread beyond England, with individuals like Jean-Baptiste Say, a French economist and businessman born in 1767, who made significant contributions to the field of economics and is considered one of the founders of the classical political economy.
Throughout history, the surname Say has been linked to various notable individuals across different fields, including politics, literature, science, and economics, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who have carried this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Say
Among Census respondents with the surname Say, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 61.7%. The next largest groups are White (23.5%) and Hispanic (9.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Say 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 Say surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander61.7% · 3,832
- White23.5% · 1,458
- Hispanic or Latino9.4% · 586
- Black or African American3.4% · 210
- Two or more races1.7% · 105
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 15
Timeline
Historical Census data for Say
Say 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
#9,803
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,302
+1,164 bearers (+54.4%)
Per 100,000 1.12
Rank movement Up 3,309 places
2020
#5,430
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,206
+2,904 bearers (+87.9%)
Per 100,000 2.08
Rank movement Up 4,373 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,112 | 2,138 | 0.79 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,803 | 3,302 | 1.12 | +1,164 bearers (+54.4%) | Up 3,309 places |
| 2020 | #5,430 | 6,206 | 2.08 | +2,904 bearers (+87.9%) | Up 4,373 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 Say 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 | #9,803 | #5,430 | 44.6% |
| Count | 3,302 | 6,206 | 87.9% |
| Per 100K | 1.12 | 2.08 | 85.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Say bearers went from 3,302 to 6,206 (+87.9% change). The surname moved up 4,373 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,803 to #5,430.
FAQ
Say surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Say?
Name Census estimates that about 7,117 living Americans carry the surname Say. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 48,160 residents.
How common is Say?
Say ranks #5,430 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.08 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 6,206 people with the surname Say. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (7,117), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.08 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Say.
Has Say become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Say went from 3,302 recorded bearers to 6,206. That is an increase of 2,904 (+87.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,803 to #5,430.
What does the Census say about the background of Say?
Among Census respondents with the surname Say, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 61.7%. The next largest groups are White (23.5%) and Hispanic (9.4%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Say in the 2020 Census, accounting for 61.7% (3,832 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Say appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (61.7%), White (23.5%), Hispanic (9.4%). 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 Say (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 Say mean?
An occupational surname for a professional reciter or orator, derived from the Old English word secgan, meaning "to say." 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 Say (2.08 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 are called Say?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Say on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.