2000
#8,782
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,438
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.27
Rare Last name
Senior
Derived from the Latin word "senior," meaning "older," referring to the elder of two individuals bearing the same name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,908 Americans carry the last name Senior. That puts it at #7,500 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.43 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 69,836 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Senior 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 Senior with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.9K
1 in 69,836
Census rank
#7,500
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,280 bearers of the surname Senior in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.43 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7500th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Senior, the largest self-reported group is White at 49.3%. The next largest groups are Black (34.2%) and Hispanic (10.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Senior
The surname SENIOR originated in England and dates back to the medieval period. The name is derived from the Old French word "seigneur," meaning "lord" or "elder." It was initially used as a descriptive name for someone who held a position of authority or seniority within a community or organization.
In the early days, the name SENIOR was often associated with landowners, noblemen, or those in positions of power. It was not uncommon for individuals with this surname to appear in historical records, such as court documents or land deeds, as early as the 13th century.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SENIOR can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1230, where a certain John le Seigneur is mentioned. This spelling variation highlights the name's French origins and its evolution over time.
During the medieval period, the surname SENIOR was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Wiltshire in the southwest of England. It was also found in other regions, such as Yorkshire and Lancashire.
In the 14th century, the SENIOR surname appeared in the Chancery Rolls of Gloucestershire, where a Robert le Seignour was recorded. This historical document provides insight into the name's evolution and its use during that time.
One notable figure bearing the SENIOR surname was Sir Henry Senior, born in 1603 in Derbyshire. He was a prominent lawyer and served as the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas during the reign of King Charles II.
Another influential individual was William Senior, born in 1770 in Yorkshire. He was a renowned economist and political economist who contributed significantly to the development of economic thought in the 19th century.
The SENIOR surname was also associated with places like Seniorhill in Somerset and Seniorhall in Warwickshire, indicating its connection to specific locations and estates.
In the 17th century, the name appeared in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Cheltenham, where several SENIOR families were documented.
One notable SENIOR family hailed from the village of Diddlebury in Shropshire, where they held land and influence for generations. Samuel Senior, born in 1629, was a prominent member of this family and served as the High Sheriff of Shropshire in 1679.
Over the centuries, the SENIOR surname has been carried by many individuals across various professions and walks of life, cementing its place in the history and heritage of England.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Senior
Among Census respondents with the surname Senior, the largest self-reported group is White at 49.3%. The next largest groups are Black (34.2%) and Hispanic (10.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Senior 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 Senior surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White49.3% · 2,110
- Black or African American34.2% · 1,465
- Hispanic or Latino10.0% · 426
- Two or more races4.3% · 183
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 78
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 18
Timeline
Historical Census data for Senior
Senior 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
#8,518
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,864
+426 bearers (+12.4%)
Per 100,000 1.31
Rank movement Up 264 places
2020
#7,500
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,280
+416 bearers (+10.8%)
Per 100,000 1.43
Rank movement Up 1,018 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,782 | 3,438 | 1.27 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,518 | 3,864 | 1.31 | +426 bearers (+12.4%) | Up 264 places |
| 2020 | #7,500 | 4,280 | 1.43 | +416 bearers (+10.8%) | Up 1,018 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 Senior 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 | #8,518 | #7,500 | 12.0% |
| Count | 3,864 | 4,280 | 10.8% |
| Per 100K | 1.31 | 1.43 | 9.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Senior bearers went from 3,864 to 4,280 (+10.8% change). The surname moved up 1,018 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,518 to #7,500.
FAQ
Senior surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Senior?
Name Census estimates that about 4,908 living Americans carry the surname Senior. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 69,836 residents.
How common is Senior?
Senior ranks #7,500 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.43 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 4,280 people with the surname Senior. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,908), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.43 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.43 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 Senior.
Has Senior become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Senior went from 3,864 recorded bearers to 4,280. That is an increase of 416 (+10.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #8,518 to #7,500.
What does the Census say about the background of Senior?
Among Census respondents with the surname Senior, the largest self-reported group is White at 49.3%. The next largest groups are Black (34.2%) and Hispanic (10.0%). 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 Senior in the 2020 Census, accounting for 49.3% (2,110 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Senior appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (49.3%), Black (34.2%), Hispanic (10.0%). 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 Senior (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 Senior mean?
Derived from the Latin word "senior," meaning "older," referring to the elder of two individuals bearing the same 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 Senior (1.43 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 Americans have the surname Senior?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.