2000
#51,024
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 384
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.14
Very Rare Last name
Sixkiller
A surname denoting someone who killed six individuals.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 475 Americans carry the last name Sixkiller. That puts it at #53,865 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.14 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 721,588 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sixkiller 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
475
1 in 721,588
Census rank
#53,865
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
414
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 414 bearers of the surname Sixkiller in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.14 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 53865th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sixkiller, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 41.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (27.1%) and White (26.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sixkiller
The surname SIXKILLER is of Native American origin, specifically from the Cherokee tribe. It is believed to have originated in the late 18th or early 19th century, during the period of increased contact and cultural exchange between the Cherokee people and European settlers in the southeastern United States.
The name SIXKILLER is thought to be derived from the Cherokee language, where it likely referred to a skilled warrior or hunter who had killed six animals or enemies. In the Cherokee tradition, such accomplishments were often reflected in one's name or title, serving as a mark of honor and respect.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the SIXKILLER name can be found in the records of the Cherokee Nation, which was established in the early 19th century. These records include references to individuals with the SIXKILLER surname, indicating their presence within the Cherokee community during that time.
Among the notable individuals with the SIXKILLER surname is Stand Watie (1806-1871), a influential Cherokee leader who served as the last Confederate general of the American Civil War. Watie, whose Cherokee name was De-ga-ta-ga, meaning "he stands," was a member of the SIXKILLER clan.
Another prominent figure associated with the SIXKILLER name is Wilma SIXKILLER (1925-2003), a renowned Cherokee artist and educator. She played a significant role in preserving and promoting Cherokee art and culture through her work and teaching.
In the late 19th century, the SIXKILLER name also appeared in the records of the Dawes Commission, which was tasked with enrolling members of the Five Civilized Tribes, including the Cherokee Nation. This commission's efforts resulted in the creation of the Dawes Rolls, which documented the names and lineages of many Cherokee families.
Other notable individuals with the SIXKILLER surname include Joseph SIXKILLER (1837-1902), a Cherokee statesman and judge, and Lula SIXKILLER (1896-1990), a Cherokee artist and writer known for her work in preserving and documenting Cherokee traditions and folklore.
Throughout its history, the SIXKILLER surname has maintained a strong connection to the Cherokee Nation and its cultural heritage, serving as a reminder of the rich traditions and accomplishments of this indigenous people.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sixkiller
Among Census respondents with the surname Sixkiller, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 41.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (27.1%) and White (26.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Sixkiller 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 Sixkiller surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- American Indian and Alaska Native41.8% · 173
- Two or more races27.1% · 112
- White26.1% · 108
- Hispanic or Latino4.8% · 20
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.2% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sixkiller
Sixkiller 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
#46,647
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 456
+72 bearers (+18.8%)
Per 100,000 0.15
Rank movement Up 4,377 places
2020
#53,865
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 414
-42 bearers (-9.2%)
Per 100,000 0.14
Rank movement Down 7,218 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #51,024 | 384 | 0.14 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #46,647 | 456 | 0.15 | +72 bearers (+18.8%) | Up 4,377 places |
| 2020 | #53,865 | 414 | 0.14 | -42 bearers (-9.2%) | Down 7,218 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 Sixkiller 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 | #46,647 | #53,865 | -15.5% |
| Count | 456 | 414 | -9.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.15 | 0.14 | -7.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sixkiller bearers went from 456 to 414 (-9.2% change). The surname moved down 7,218 positions in the national ranking, going from #46,647 to #53,865.
FAQ
Sixkiller surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sixkiller?
Name Census estimates that about 475 living Americans carry the surname Sixkiller. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 721,588 residents.
How common is Sixkiller?
Sixkiller ranks #53,865 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.14 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 414 people with the surname Sixkiller. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (475), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.14 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.14 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 Sixkiller.
Has Sixkiller become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sixkiller went from 456 recorded bearers to 414. That is a decrease of 42 (-9.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #46,647 to #53,865.
What does the Census say about the background of Sixkiller?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sixkiller, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 41.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (27.1%) and White (26.1%). 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?
American Indian/Alaska Native is the largest self-reported group for the surname Sixkiller in the 2020 Census, accounting for 41.8% (173 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sixkiller appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are American Indian/Alaska Native (41.8%), Two or More Races (27.1%), White (26.1%). 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 Sixkiller (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 Sixkiller mean?
A surname denoting someone who killed six individuals. 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 Sixkiller (0.14 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 are called Sixkiller?
Want to know how many people are called Sixkiller? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.