2000
#8,802
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,427
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.27
Rare Last name
Secrest
A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "dry ridge" or "ridge by a brook" in Old English.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,901 Americans carry the last name Secrest. That puts it at #9,209 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.14 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 87,863 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Secrest 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
3.9K
1 in 87,863
Census rank
#9,209
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,402 bearers of the surname Secrest in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.14 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9209th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Secrest, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.9%) and Hispanic (3.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Secrest
The surname Secrest has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "sēcre" and "stede," meaning "a secret or private place." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a secluded or remote location.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Secrest can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1191, where it appears as "Secrestede." This suggests that the name may have been associated with a specific place name or location in Gloucestershire.
In the 13th century, the name appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire as "Secrestede," further solidifying its presence in medieval England. The variations in spelling, such as "Secrestede" and "Secrest," were common during this time period due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.
During the 14th century, the name Secrest appeared in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, Yorkshire, as "Sekrestede." This record provides evidence of the name's geographical spread across different regions of England.
One notable individual bearing the surname Secrest was Richard Secrest, a English merchant and trader who lived in the late 15th century. He is mentioned in various trade records from the city of Bristol, indicating his involvement in international commerce during that era.
Another prominent figure with the name Secrest was Sir John Secrest, a landowner and member of the gentry in Gloucestershire during the 16th century. He is noted in local records for his ownership of estates and his involvement in local affairs.
In the 17th century, the name Secrest appeared in the Parish Registers of St. Mary's Church in Warwick, where it was recorded as "Seckrest." This entry provides evidence of the name's continued presence in different parts of England.
During the 18th century, the name Secrest was found in the records of Christ Church College, Oxford, where a student named William Secrest was enrolled in 1734. This highlights the name's association with education and academic institutions during that time period.
In the 19th century, the name Secrest gained prominence with the birth of Charles Secrest (1819-1892), a British author and poet who published several works during the Victorian era. His literary contributions helped establish the name's cultural significance.
Overall, the surname Secrest has a rich history deeply rooted in medieval England, with its earliest known origins dating back to the 12th century. The name has been associated with various regions, occupations, and notable individuals throughout the centuries, reflecting its enduring presence in English society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Secrest
Among Census respondents with the surname Secrest, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.9%) and Hispanic (3.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Secrest 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 Secrest surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.2% · 2,999
- Two or more races3.9% · 134
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 118
- Black or African American3.4% · 117
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 22
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 12
Timeline
Historical Census data for Secrest
Secrest 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
#9,081
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,599
+172 bearers (+5.0%)
Per 100,000 1.22
Rank movement Down 279 places
2020
#9,209
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,402
-197 bearers (-5.5%)
Per 100,000 1.14
Rank movement Down 128 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,802 | 3,427 | 1.27 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,081 | 3,599 | 1.22 | +172 bearers (+5.0%) | Down 279 places |
| 2020 | #9,209 | 3,402 | 1.14 | -197 bearers (-5.5%) | Down 128 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 Secrest 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 | #9,081 | #9,209 | -1.4% |
| Count | 3,599 | 3,402 | -5.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.22 | 1.14 | -6.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Secrest bearers went from 3,599 to 3,402 (-5.5% change). The surname moved down 128 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,081 to #9,209.
FAQ
Secrest surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Secrest?
Name Census estimates that about 3,901 living Americans carry the surname Secrest. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 87,863 residents.
How common is Secrest?
Secrest ranks #9,209 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.14 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,402 people with the surname Secrest. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,901), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.14 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.14 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Secrest.
Has Secrest become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Secrest went from 3,599 recorded bearers to 3,402. That is a decrease of 197 (-5.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,081 to #9,209.
What does the Census say about the background of Secrest?
Among Census respondents with the surname Secrest, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.9%) and Hispanic (3.5%). 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 Secrest in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.2% (2,999 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Secrest appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.2%), Two or More Races (3.9%), Hispanic (3.5%). 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 Secrest (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 Secrest mean?
A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "dry ridge" or "ridge by a brook" in Old English. 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 Secrest (1.14 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 Secrest?
See how many people have the surname Secrest on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.