2000
#9,656
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,088
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.14
Rare Last name
Silcox
An English occupational surname for someone who harvested or sold seaweed or worked with sea-shells.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,448 Americans carry the last name Silcox. That puts it at #10,197 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.01 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 99,407 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Silcox 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 Silcox with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.4K
1 in 99,407
Census rank
#10,197
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,007 bearers of the surname Silcox in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.01 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10197th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Silcox, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.9%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Silcox
The surname SILCOX is of English origin, derived from a place name. It is believed to have originated in the village of Silcox, located in the county of Somerset, England, during the medieval period.
The name Silcox is thought to be derived from the Old English words "syl" meaning "willow" and "cocc" meaning "hill" or "ridge." This suggests that the name likely referred to a location where willows grew on a hill or ridge, indicating the topographical features of the area where the surname originated.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname SILCOX can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset from 1327, which mention a John de Sylcox. This historical document provides evidence of the name's existence and its association with the Somerset region in the 14th century.
In the late 16th century, the SILCOX name appears in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Brewham, Somerset. Thomas Silcox (1580-1649) was a notable figure from this time period, serving as the rector of the church from 1622 until his death.
During the 17th century, the SILCOX surname gained recognition through the exploits of Captain John Silcox (1623-1698), an English naval officer who served under Admiral Robert Blake during the Anglo-Dutch Wars. His bravery and leadership were celebrated, and he is remembered as a significant figure in the history of the British Navy.
Another prominent individual with the SILCOX surname was Sir John Silcox (1724-1802), a British politician and landowner. He served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset and was renowned for his advocacy of agricultural reforms and his philanthropic efforts in the local community.
The 18th century also saw the emergence of the Reverend William Silcox (1747-1823), an English clergyman and author. He was known for his scholarly works on theology and his contributions to the Anglican Church.
Throughout the 19th century, the SILCOX name continued to appear in various historical records, including census data and parish registers across England, particularly in the counties of Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire, reflecting the surname's enduring presence in the region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Silcox
Among Census respondents with the surname Silcox, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.9%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Silcox 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 Silcox surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.5% · 2,751
- Two or more races3.9% · 116
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 76
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.2% · 37
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 15
- Black or African American0.4% · 12
Timeline
Historical Census data for Silcox
Silcox 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
#10,050
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,205
+117 bearers (+3.8%)
Per 100,000 1.09
Rank movement Down 394 places
2020
#10,197
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,007
-198 bearers (-6.2%)
Per 100,000 1.01
Rank movement Down 147 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,656 | 3,088 | 1.14 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,050 | 3,205 | 1.09 | +117 bearers (+3.8%) | Down 394 places |
| 2020 | #10,197 | 3,007 | 1.01 | -198 bearers (-6.2%) | Down 147 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 Silcox 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 | #10,050 | #10,197 | -1.5% |
| Count | 3,205 | 3,007 | -6.2% |
| Per 100K | 1.09 | 1.01 | -7.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Silcox bearers went from 3,205 to 3,007 (-6.2% change). The surname moved down 147 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,050 to #10,197.
FAQ
Silcox surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Silcox?
Name Census estimates that about 3,448 living Americans carry the surname Silcox. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 99,407 residents.
How common is Silcox?
Silcox ranks #10,197 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.01 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 3,007 people with the surname Silcox. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,448), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.01 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.01 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 Silcox.
Has Silcox become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Silcox went from 3,205 recorded bearers to 3,007. That is a decrease of 198 (-6.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #10,050 to #10,197.
What does the Census say about the background of Silcox?
Among Census respondents with the surname Silcox, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.9%) and Hispanic (2.5%). 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 Silcox in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.5% (2,751 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Silcox appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.5%), Two or More Races (3.9%), Hispanic (2.5%). 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 Silcox (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 Silcox mean?
An English occupational surname for someone who harvested or sold seaweed or worked with sea-shells. 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 Silcox (1.01 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 Silcox?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.