2000
#8,562
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,541
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.31
Rare Last name
Six
A numerical surname of French origin, likely referring to an ancestor who was the sixth child or born sixth.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,946 Americans carry the last name Six. That puts it at #7,452 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.44 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 69,299 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Six 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
4.9K
1 in 69,299
Census rank
#7,452
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,313 bearers of the surname Six in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.44 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7452nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Six, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.3%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Six
The surname SIX originated in England during the early medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "siex" or "six", which was a numerical term used to describe the sixth son in a family. This naming convention was common practice among Anglo-Saxons, who often assigned descriptive surnames based on an individual's birth order, physical characteristics, or occupation.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the SIX surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Siex". This comprehensive survey of land ownership in England, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of surnames during that era.
The SIX surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Wiltshire, where several families bearing this name have been documented. One notable example is John SIX, a landowner from Berkshire who is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of 1197.
During the 13th century, the surname SIX underwent various spelling variations, such as "Syxe", "Sixe", and "Sixis". These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and the inconsistent nature of written records at the time.
As the SIX surname spread across England, it became associated with several notable individuals. One such figure was William SIX, a prominent merchant from London who lived in the late 14th century. His trading activities and wealth contributed to the recognition of the SIX name in urban centers.
Another notable bearer of the SIX surname was Sir John SIX (1538-1611), a member of Parliament and Lord Mayor of London. His political influence and civic leadership helped establish the SIX family as a respected lineage in the city.
In the 16th century, the SIX surname also gained prominence in the county of Norfolk. One notable figure from this region was Thomas SIX (1568-1634), a successful landowner and farmer who played a significant role in the local community.
Over the centuries, the SIX surname has been closely associated with various place names in England, such as Six Acres in Oxfordshire and Six Mile Bottom in Cambridgeshire. These place names reflect the historical presence and influence of families bearing the SIX surname in those areas.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Six
Among Census respondents with the surname Six, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.3%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Six 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 Six surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White77.7% · 3,352
- Hispanic or Latino9.3% · 403
- Two or more races4.4% · 190
- Black or African American3.5% · 151
- American Indian and Alaska Native3.3% · 141
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 76
Timeline
Historical Census data for Six
Six 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
#9,311
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,497
-44 bearers (-1.2%)
Per 100,000 1.19
Rank movement Down 749 places
2020
#7,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,313
+816 bearers (+23.3%)
Per 100,000 1.44
Rank movement Up 1,859 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,562 | 3,541 | 1.31 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,311 | 3,497 | 1.19 | -44 bearers (-1.2%) | Down 749 places |
| 2020 | #7,452 | 4,313 | 1.44 | +816 bearers (+23.3%) | Up 1,859 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 Six 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 | #9,311 | #7,452 | 20.0% |
| Count | 3,497 | 4,313 | 23.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.19 | 1.44 | 21.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Six bearers went from 3,497 to 4,313 (+23.3% change). The surname moved up 1,859 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,311 to #7,452.
FAQ
Six surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Six?
Name Census estimates that about 4,946 living Americans carry the surname Six. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 69,299 residents.
How common is Six?
Six ranks #7,452 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.44 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 4,313 people with the surname Six. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,946), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.44 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.44 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 Six.
Has Six become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Six went from 3,497 recorded bearers to 4,313. That is an increase of 816 (+23.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,311 to #7,452.
What does the Census say about the background of Six?
Among Census respondents with the surname Six, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.3%) and Two or More Races (4.4%). 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 Six in the 2020 Census, accounting for 77.7% (3,352 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Six appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (77.7%), Hispanic (9.3%), Two or More Races (4.4%). 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 Six (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 Six mean?
A numerical surname of French origin, likely referring to an ancestor who was the sixth child or born sixth. 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 Six (1.44 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 Six?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.