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

Severance, 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 Severance surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Severance in America

Severance is the 9407th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Severance surname appeared 3,456 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Severance.

We can also compare 2010 data for Severance 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 Severance

The surname Severance originated in England during the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "severance," which means "separation" or "parting." The name likely referred to someone who lived near a boundary or division between two areas or properties.

One of the earliest known records of the name Severance is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1297, where it appears as "Severaunce." This suggests that the name was already established in that region by the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various forms, such as "Severans" and "Severaunce," in records from Lincolnshire and Norfolk. These variations reflect the fluid nature of spelling during that time.

The Severance name can also be traced back to the village of Severn in Gloucestershire, which itself derives its name from the River Severn. This connection implies that some early bearers of the surname may have originated from or resided near this area.

One notable figure bearing the Severance surname was John Severance (c. 1597-1671), an early settler in New England who arrived in Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1638. He is considered one of the founders of the town of Salisbury, Massachusetts.

Another prominent individual was Daniel Severance (1755-1825), an American Revolutionary War soldier who served in the Battle of Bunker Hill and later became a prominent industrialist in New Hampshire.

In the 19th century, the Severance family gained prominence in Ohio, with John Long Severance (1808-1879) establishing himself as a successful businessman and philanthropist in Cleveland. His son, Louis Henry Severance (1838-1913), continued the family's legacy and donated funds to establish the Severance Hall, which became home to the Cleveland Orchestra.

Other notable figures with the Severance surname include Mary Esther Severance (1833-1913), an American philanthropist and advocate for women's rights, and George Andrew Severance (1826-1888), a Union Army officer during the American Civil War.

Throughout its history, the Severance surname has maintained its connection to its Old French roots, reflecting the notion of separation or division, while also being associated with various locations and prominent individuals across different eras.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Severance

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

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 Severance 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 Severance 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 Severance was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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