2000
#80,216
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 220
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.08
Very Rare Last name
Seok
A surname derived from a Korean place name or administrative district.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 462 Americans carry the last name Seok. That puts it at #55,082 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.13 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 741,893 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Seok 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
462
1 in 741,893
Census rank
#55,082
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
403
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 403 bearers of the surname Seok in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.13 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 55082nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Seok, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.3%. The next largest groups are White (4.0%) and Black (0.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Seok
The surname SEOK originates from Korea, with its roots tracing back to the ancient Three Kingdoms period (57 BC - 935 AD). It is believed to be derived from the Korean word "seok," meaning "stone" or "rock," indicating a connection to the natural landscape or possibly a reference to a stonemason occupation.
The SEOK surname first appeared in historical records during the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392 AD), where it was associated with prominent families and scholars. One notable example is the famous philosopher and poet SEOK Hui-seung (1562-1633), whose works had a significant influence on Korean literature and thought.
In the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897), the SEOK surname gained further prominence, with several individuals leaving their mark on history. SEOK Jeong-su (1460-1503) was a renowned scholar and statesman who served as a government official during the reign of King Seongjong. SEOK Yoo-sin (1768-1838) was a revered Confucian scholar and calligrapher whose works are still studied and admired today.
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the SEOK surname continued to be associated with notable figures. SEOK Hee-sang (1824-1898) was a respected educator and author who played a crucial role in the modernization of Korea's education system. SEOK Dong-myeong (1888-1961) was a pioneering journalist and activist who fought for Korean independence from Japanese occupation.
Another prominent figure bearing the SEOK surname was SEOK Ju-won (1919-2000), a celebrated novelist and screenwriter whose works explored themes of social injustice and the human condition. His novel "The Soil" is considered a masterpiece of modern Korean literature.
While the SEOK surname originated in Korea, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its roots remain deeply embedded in the rich history and cultural heritage of the Korean peninsula.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Seok
Among Census respondents with the surname Seok, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.3%. The next largest groups are White (4.0%) and Black (0.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Seok 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 Seok surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander95.3% · 384
- White4.0% · 16
- Black or African American0.7% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Seok
Seok 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
#55,619
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 369
+149 bearers (+67.7%)
Per 100,000 0.13
Rank movement Up 24,597 places
2020
#55,082
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 403
+34 bearers (+9.2%)
Per 100,000 0.13
Rank movement Up 537 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #80,216 | 220 | 0.08 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #55,619 | 369 | 0.13 | +149 bearers (+67.7%) | Up 24,597 places |
| 2020 | #55,082 | 403 | 0.13 | +34 bearers (+9.2%) | Up 537 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 Seok 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 | #55,619 | #55,082 | 1.0% |
| Count | 369 | 403 | 9.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.13 | 0.13 | 3.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Seok bearers went from 369 to 403 (+9.2% change). The surname moved up 537 positions in the national ranking, going from #55,619 to #55,082.
FAQ
Seok surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Seok?
Name Census estimates that about 462 living Americans carry the surname Seok. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 741,893 residents.
How common is Seok?
Seok ranks #55,082 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.13 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 403 people with the surname Seok. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (462), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.13 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.13 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Seok.
Has Seok become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Seok went from 369 recorded bearers to 403. That is an increase of 34 (+9.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #55,619 to #55,082.
What does the Census say about the background of Seok?
Among Census respondents with the surname Seok, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.3%. The next largest groups are White (4.0%) and Black (0.7%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Seok in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.3% (384 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Seok appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (95.3%), White (4.0%), Black (0.7%). 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 Seok (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 Seok mean?
A surname derived from a Korean place name or administrative district. 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 Seok (0.13 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 Seok?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.