2010
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Siersma
A surname of Dutch origin referring to an inhabitant of the area Siersma.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Siersma. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Siersma 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
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Siersma in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Siersma, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Siersma
The surname Siersma is of Dutch origin, tracing its roots back to the Netherlands in the 16th century. It is likely derived from the Dutch word "sier," which means "ornament" or "adornment." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with a profession or trade related to decorative work or craftsmanship.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Siersma can be found in the Dutch city of Leeuwarden, where a certain Sijtse Siersma was mentioned in municipal records from the late 1500s. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the Frisian region of the Netherlands during that time period.
In the 17th century, there are records of a prominent Siersma family residing in the town of Dokkum, located in the northern province of Friesland. This family was involved in the local government and held positions of importance within the community.
An interesting historical figure bearing the Siersma name is Joannes Siersma, a Dutch mathematician and astronomer who lived from 1644 to 1719. He made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics and is known for his work on the orbits of comets.
Another notable individual was Pieter Siersma, born in 1773 in the Dutch town of Harlingen. He was a sea captain and merchant who played a role in the Dutch East Indies trade during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
In the 19th century, the Siersma name can be found in various records from the province of Groningen, where it was particularly prevalent in the town of Pieterburen. One notable Siersma from this region was Fokke Siersma, born in 1825, who served as a mayor and played a significant role in local politics.
As the Siersma name spread beyond the Netherlands, it can also be found in historical records from other parts of Europe and even in North America, likely due to Dutch emigration in the 17th and 18th centuries. For example, there are mentions of Siersmas in German records from the 18th century, indicating the presence of Dutch settlers in certain regions of Germany.
While the Siersma surname is relatively uncommon outside of the Netherlands, it has a rich history and connection to the Dutch culture, with its origins dating back several centuries and its bearers contributing to various fields such as mathematics, navigation, and local governance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Siersma
Among Census respondents with the surname Siersma, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Siersma 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 Siersma surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.3% · 91
- Hispanic or Latino8.3% · 9
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.7% · 4
- Two or more races3.7% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Siersma
Siersma appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
+8 bearers (+8.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 10,040 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+8.0%) | Up 10,040 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 Siersma 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 | #160,975 | #150,935 | 6.2% |
| Count | 100 | 108 | 8.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 20.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Siersma bearers went from 100 to 108 (+8.0% change). The surname moved up 10,040 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #150,935.
FAQ
Siersma surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Siersma?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Siersma. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Siersma?
Siersma ranks #150,935 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 108 people with the surname Siersma. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Siersma.
Has Siersma become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Siersma went from 100 recorded bearers to 108. That is an increase of 8 (+8.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Siersma?
Among Census respondents with the surname Siersma, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.7%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Siersma in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.3% (91 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Siersma appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.3%), Hispanic (8.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (3.7%). 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 Siersma (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 Siersma mean?
A surname of Dutch origin referring to an inhabitant of the area Siersma. 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 Siersma (0.04 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 Siersma?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.