2000
#1,426
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 22,954
First available Census row
Per 100,000 8.51
Uncommon Last name
Self
An English occupational surname denoting a servant employed by a nobleman or landowner, derived from the word "sealf."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 24,979 Americans carry the last name Self. That puts it at #1,604 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 7.29 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 13,722 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Self 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 Self with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
25K
1 in 13,722
Census rank
#1,604
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
7.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
22K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 21,783 bearers of the surname Self in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 7.29 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1604th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Self, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.4%. The next largest groups are Black (5.8%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Self
The surname SELF is believed to have originated in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "self," which means "oneself" or "the same."
One of the earliest known references to the surname SELF can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a census-like record of landholders in England at the time. This document includes entries for individuals with the surname SELF in various counties, such as Oxfordshire and Berkshire.
During the medieval period, surnames were often derived from personal characteristics, occupations, or locations. The surname SELF may have been used to distinguish someone who was particularly self-reliant or independent. Alternatively, it could have been a descriptive name for someone who was particularly self-centered or egotistical.
In the 16th century, the SELF surname appeared in various records, including parish registers and tax rolls. One notable individual from this period was John SELF, a merchant from Bristol who lived from around 1520 to 1585.
As the centuries progressed, the SELF surname spread to different regions of England, and various spelling variations emerged, such as SELFE and SILFE. In the 17th century, records show SELFs residing in counties like Norfolk, Suffolk, and Lincolnshire.
One prominent figure with the SELF surname was Sir John SELF (1647-1723), a lawyer and Member of Parliament for Grantham in Lincolnshire. Another notable individual was William SELF (1758-1808), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.
In the 19th century, the SELF surname continued to be well-represented in various parts of England. One notable individual from this period was Henry SELF (1839-1911), a businessman and philanthropist from Yorkshire who made significant contributions to the city of Bradford.
As the British Empire expanded, the SELF surname also found its way to other parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and various colonies. Some notable individuals with this surname include Robert SELF (1860-1942), an American businessman and founder of the Greenville Textile Supply Company, and Walter SELF (1898-1988), an Australian politician who served as a member of the Australian Senate.
Throughout history, the SELF surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including academics, artists, politicians, and military personnel. While the origins of the name may be somewhat obscure, its enduring presence across centuries and continents serves as a testament to its historical significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Self
Among Census respondents with the surname Self, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.4%. The next largest groups are Black (5.8%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Self 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 Self surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.4% · 18,393
- Black or African American5.8% · 1,259
- Two or more races4.6% · 1,005
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 753
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.2% · 255
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 118
Timeline
Historical Census data for Self
Self 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
#1,520
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 23,595
+641 bearers (+2.8%)
Per 100,000 8.00
Rank movement Down 94 places
2020
#1,604
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 21,783
-1,812 bearers (-7.7%)
Per 100,000 7.29
Rank movement Down 84 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #1,426 | 22,954 | 8.51 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #1,520 | 23,595 | 8.00 | +641 bearers (+2.8%) | Down 94 places |
| 2020 | #1,604 | 21,783 | 7.29 | -1,812 bearers (-7.7%) | Down 84 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 Self 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 | #1,520 | #1,604 | -5.5% |
| Count | 23,595 | 21,783 | -7.7% |
| Per 100K | 8.00 | 7.29 | -8.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Self bearers went from 23,595 to 21,783 (-7.7% change). The surname moved down 84 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,520 to #1,604.
FAQ
Self surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Self?
Name Census estimates that about 24,979 living Americans carry the surname Self. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 13,722 residents.
How common is Self?
Self ranks #1,604 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 7.29 per 100,000 residents, which is about 7 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 21,783 people with the surname Self. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (24,979), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 7.29 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 7.29 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 7 of them to have the surname Self.
Has Self become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Self went from 23,595 recorded bearers to 21,783. That is a decrease of 1,812 (-7.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #1,520 to #1,604.
What does the Census say about the background of Self?
Among Census respondents with the surname Self, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.4%. The next largest groups are Black (5.8%) and Two or More Races (4.6%). 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 Self in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.4% (18,393 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Self appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.4%), Black (5.8%), Two or More Races (4.6%). 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 Self (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 Self mean?
An English occupational surname denoting a servant employed by a nobleman or landowner, derived from the word "sealf." 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 Self (7.29 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 share the surname Self?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.