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

Severe, 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 Severe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Severe in America

Severe is the 15409th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Severe surname appeared 1,901 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 Severe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Severe 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 Severe

The surname Severe originated in France, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old French word "sévère," meaning stern or serious. The name likely originated as a nickname for someone with a severe or stern demeanor.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the 14th century records of the village of Sévérac, located in the Aveyron region of southern France. The name is thought to have spread from this area to other parts of France and eventually to other parts of Europe.

In the 16th century, Jean Severe was a notable French jurist and author, born in Aix-en-Provence in 1520. He wrote several legal treatises and served as a judge in the Parlement of Provence.

Another historical figure with the surname Severe was Jacques Severe, a Jesuit priest and missionary born in Normandy, France in 1587. He spent many years working as a missionary in New France (modern-day Canada and the United States), and was instrumental in establishing several missions among the Native American tribes.

In England, the name Severe can be traced back to the 17th century, possibly derived from French Huguenot immigrants fleeing religious persecution. One notable individual was Thomas Severe, a merchant and member of the East India Company, who lived in London in the late 1600s.

Another Englishman with the surname Severe was William Severe, a Royal Navy captain who served during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 19th century. He was born in 1775 and is recorded as commanding several ships during his naval career.

In the United States, the Severe name can be found in records dating back to the 18th century, likely brought over by French and English immigrants. One of the earliest known individuals with this surname was Pierre Severe, a French settler who arrived in Louisiana in the 1720s and established a plantation near New Orleans.

Overall, the surname Severe has a long and diverse history, with roots tracing back to medieval France and spreading to various parts of Europe and North America over the centuries. While not a common name, it has been carried by notable individuals in various fields throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Severe

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

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

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

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