2000
#124,872
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Skuce
A Polish surname derived from a dialect word meaning "dense" or "thick".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Skuce. 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 Skuce 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 Skuce with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
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 Skuce 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 Skuce, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Skuce
The surname SKUCE is of English origin and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "scucca," which means "demon" or "evil spirit." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone with a perceived unsavory or mischievous character.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SKUCE can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Stratford-upon-Avon, dating back to 1587. The record mentions a John Skuce, who was a local farmer in the area. Additionally, the Domesday Book, a historical survey conducted in 1086, includes references to various place names that may have influenced the evolution of the surname, such as "Skewes" and "Skewis."
In the 17th century, the SKUCE name appears to have been concentrated primarily in the counties of Gloucestershire and Worcestershire, with some records indicating the presence of the surname in nearby regions as well. One notable individual from this period was William Skuce, born in 1645 in the village of Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire. He was a respected landowner and served as a local magistrate.
As the centuries progressed, the SKUCE surname spread across England, with some families migrating to other parts of the British Isles and even to the British colonies in North America and Australia. In the 19th century, a prominent figure bearing the name was Sir Henry Skuce (1801-1878), a successful businessman and philanthropist from London. He was instrumental in establishing several charitable institutions and was knighted for his contributions to society.
Another noteworthy individual was Elizabeth Skuce (1856-1932), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded one of the first schools for girls in the city of Manchester and played a significant role in the suffrage movement. Her efforts paved the way for greater educational opportunities for women in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The SKUCE surname also found its way into the realm of literature, with the author James Skuce (1879-1957) being a notable figure. He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and gained recognition for his novels and short stories that explored themes of rural life and the struggles of the working class.
While the origins of the SKUCE surname can be traced back to England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, carried by families and individuals who have played their part in shaping the rich tapestry of history and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Skuce
Among Census respondents with the surname Skuce, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Skuce 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 Skuce surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.7% · 99
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.8% · 3
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Skuce
Skuce 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
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
-11 bearers (-8.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 18,277 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-8 bearers (-6.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,786 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #124,872 | 127 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | -11 bearers (-8.7%) | Down 18,277 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-6.9%) | Down 7,786 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 Skuce 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 | #143,149 | #150,935 | -5.4% |
| Count | 116 | 108 | -6.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Skuce bearers went from 116 to 108 (-6.9% change). The surname moved down 7,786 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #150,935.
FAQ
Skuce surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Skuce?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Skuce. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Skuce?
Skuce 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 Skuce. 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 Skuce.
Has Skuce become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Skuce went from 116 recorded bearers to 108. That is a decrease of 8 (-6.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #143,149 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Skuce?
Among Census respondents with the surname Skuce, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%). 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 Skuce in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.7% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Skuce appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.7%), Hispanic (2.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%). 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 Skuce (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 Skuce mean?
A Polish surname derived from a dialect word meaning "dense" or "thick". 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 Skuce (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 common is the surname Skuce?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Skuce on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.