2000
#3,880
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,412
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.12
Uncommon Last name
See
A surname derived from the Chinese character 薛, meaning "marsh mallow" or "dockweed," or referring to a place name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 10,160 Americans carry the last name See. That puts it at #3,894 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.96 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 33,736 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the See 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 See with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
10K
1 in 33,736
Census rank
#3,894
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
8.9K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 8,860 bearers of the surname See in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.96 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3894th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname See, the largest self-reported group is White at 69.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (21.8%) and Two or More Races (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "SEE" can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of historical documents from the 11th century.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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for See
Among Census respondents with the surname See, the largest self-reported group is White at 69.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (21.8%) and Two or More Races (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how See 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 See surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White69.1% · 6,124
- Asian and Pacific Islander21.8% · 1,934
- Two or more races3.7% · 329
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 253
- Black or African American1.8% · 162
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 58
Timeline
Historical Census data for See
See 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
#3,911
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,081
+669 bearers (+8.0%)
Per 100,000 3.08
Rank movement Down 31 places
2020
#3,894
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,860
-221 bearers (-2.4%)
Per 100,000 2.96
Rank movement Up 17 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,880 | 8,412 | 3.12 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,911 | 9,081 | 3.08 | +669 bearers (+8.0%) | Down 31 places |
| 2020 | #3,894 | 8,860 | 2.96 | -221 bearers (-2.4%) | Up 17 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 See 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 | #3,911 | #3,894 | 0.4% |
| Count | 9,081 | 8,860 | -2.4% |
| Per 100K | 3.08 | 2.96 | -3.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of See bearers went from 9,081 to 8,860 (-2.4% change). The surname moved up 17 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,911 to #3,894.
FAQ
See surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname See?
Name Census estimates that about 10,160 living Americans carry the surname See. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 33,736 residents.
How common is See?
See ranks #3,894 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.96 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 8,860 people with the surname See. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (10,160), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.96 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.96 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname See.
Has See become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname See went from 9,081 recorded bearers to 8,860. That is a decrease of 221 (-2.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #3,911 to #3,894.
What does the Census say about the background of See?
Among Census respondents with the surname See, the largest self-reported group is White at 69.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (21.8%) and Two or More Races (3.7%). 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 See in the 2020 Census, accounting for 69.1% (6,124 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
See appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (69.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (21.8%), Two or More Races (3.7%). 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 See (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 See mean?
A surname derived from the Chinese character 薛, meaning "marsh mallow" or "dockweed," or referring to a place name. 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 See (2.96 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 common is the surname See?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name See on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.