2000
#12,334
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,311
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.86
Rare Last name
Severin
Derived from the Latin name Severinus, meaning "stern" or "severe," and likely referring to a person with a serious demeanor.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,662 Americans carry the last name Severin. That puts it at #12,700 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.78 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 128,758 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Severin 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 Severin with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.7K
1 in 128,758
Census rank
#12,700
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,321 bearers of the surname Severin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.78 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12700th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Severin, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.4%. The next largest groups are Black (13.9%) and Hispanic (5.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Severin
The surname Severin originated in France during the medieval period. It is derived from the Latin name Severinus, which means "severe" or "stern." The name was likely a nickname given to someone with a serious or strict demeanor.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Severin dates back to the 11th century in the Domesday Book, a medieval census commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. It lists several individuals with the name Severinus or similar variations, such as Severyn, residing in various parts of England.
In the 12th century, the name Severin appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, which were administrative records kept by the English Exchequer. One notable individual from this period was Severin of Deerhurst, a monk and scholar who lived in the latter half of the 12th century and wrote extensively on religious topics.
During the 13th century, the name Severin was particularly prevalent in the regions of Normandy and Brittany in France. Records from this time show the name being spelled in various forms, including Séverin, Sevrin, and Severin.
In the 14th century, the name Severin appeared in the Hundredorum Rolls, which were tax records compiled in England during the reign of King Edward I. One notable individual from this period was Severin Bonefoy, a French nobleman and military leader who participated in the Hundred Years' War.
In the 15th century, the name Severin was found in the records of the University of Paris, indicating its presence among scholars and academics of the time. One notable figure was Severin de Soissons, a French philosopher and theologian who taught at the university in the early 1400s.
In the 16th century, the name Severin was associated with various place names across Europe, such as Severin-sur-Aveyron in France and Severin in Austria. One prominent individual from this period was Severin Nahuys, a Dutch theologian and reformer who lived from 1480 to 1536.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Severin, including:
1. Pierre Severin (1588-1668), a French philosopher and mathematician.
2. Johann Severin Vater (1771-1826), a German theologian and linguist.
3. Severin Roesen (1640-1708), a Dutch still-life painter known for his depictions of fruit and flowers.
4. Severin Eisenlohr (1863-1936), a German-American architect known for his work in the Arts and Crafts style.
5. Severin Bourne (1900-1984), an American composer and music educator.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Severin
Among Census respondents with the surname Severin, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.4%. The next largest groups are Black (13.9%) and Hispanic (5.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Severin 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 Severin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White76.4% · 1,773
- Black or African American13.9% · 323
- Hispanic or Latino5.3% · 124
- Two or more races3.4% · 79
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 17
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Severin
Severin 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
#12,772
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,416
+105 bearers (+4.5%)
Per 100,000 0.82
Rank movement Down 438 places
2020
#12,700
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,321
-95 bearers (-3.9%)
Per 100,000 0.78
Rank movement Up 72 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,334 | 2,311 | 0.86 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,772 | 2,416 | 0.82 | +105 bearers (+4.5%) | Down 438 places |
| 2020 | #12,700 | 2,321 | 0.78 | -95 bearers (-3.9%) | Up 72 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 Severin 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 | #12,772 | #12,700 | 0.6% |
| Count | 2,416 | 2,321 | -3.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.82 | 0.78 | -5.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Severin bearers went from 2,416 to 2,321 (-3.9% change). The surname moved up 72 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,772 to #12,700.
FAQ
Severin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Severin?
Name Census estimates that about 2,662 living Americans carry the surname Severin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 128,758 residents.
How common is Severin?
Severin ranks #12,700 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.78 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 2,321 people with the surname Severin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,662), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.78 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.78 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 Severin.
Has Severin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Severin went from 2,416 recorded bearers to 2,321. That is a decrease of 95 (-3.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #12,772 to #12,700.
What does the Census say about the background of Severin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Severin, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.4%. The next largest groups are Black (13.9%) and Hispanic (5.3%). 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 Severin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 76.4% (1,773 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Severin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (76.4%), Black (13.9%), Hispanic (5.3%). 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 Severin (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 Severin mean?
Derived from the Latin name Severinus, meaning "stern" or "severe," and likely referring to a person with a serious demeanor. 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 Severin (0.78 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 Severin?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.