Find out how popular the last name See is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named See.

See, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the See surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of See in America

See is the 3911th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The See surname appeared 9,081 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname See.

We can also compare 2010 data for See to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name See

The surname "SEE" is of German origin, and it is believed to have originated in the Middle Ages, specifically around the 11th or 12th century. The name is derived from the Old High German word "sēo," which means "lake" or "sea." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname likely lived near a body of water, such as a lake or a coastal region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "SEE" can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of historical documents from the 11th century. This record mentions a person named "Conrad von der See," which translates to "Conrad from the Sea" or "Conrad by the Sea." This document provides evidence that the surname was in use during this time period and was likely a descriptive name given to individuals who lived near a body of water.

The surname "SEE" also has connections to various place names throughout Germany. For example, the town of Seeburg, located in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, derives its name from the Old High German word "sēo" and the suffix "-burg," meaning "castle." This suggests that the name "SEE" may have been associated with individuals who resided in or near this town or other similar locations.

One notable historical figure with the surname "SEE" was Johann Friedrich von der See (1579-1645), a German military commander who served during the Thirty Years' War. He was born in the town of Hildesheim and played a significant role in various battles and sieges throughout his military career.

Another individual of note was Johann Michael See (1768-1847), a German composer and organist. He was born in Weingarten, Baden-Württemberg, and is known for his contributions to sacred music, particularly his compositions for organ and choral works.

In the 16th century, the surname "SEE" appeared in records from the city of Nuremberg, where it was sometimes spelled as "Sehe" or "Seehe." This variation in spelling was common during this time period and highlights the evolving nature of surnames.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey conducted in England in 1086, does not contain any references to the surname "SEE," as it was primarily a German name. However, it is worth noting that the name may have been introduced to England at a later date through migration or trade connections with German-speaking regions.

Throughout history, there have been several other notable individuals bearing the surname "SEE," including Georg Michael See (1753-1822), a German botanist and naturalist, and Johann Friedrich See (1645-1701), a German composer and organist who was active in the late 17th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name See

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname See.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for See was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of See has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name See was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of See, please contact us.

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