2000
#13,347
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,094
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.78
Rare Last name
Slawson
An English occupational surname referring to a person who works with or sells a type of woolen cloth.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,191 Americans carry the last name Slawson. That puts it at #14,878 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.64 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 156,437 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Slawson 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 Slawson with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.2K
1 in 156,437
Census rank
#14,878
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,911 bearers of the surname Slawson in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.64 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14878th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Slawson, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.2%) and Hispanic (3.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Slawson
The surname Slawson is believed to have originated in England, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "slaefer" or "slaefre," which mean a slaughterer or butcher, and the suffix "-son," meaning son of. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname were likely the sons of individuals who worked as slaughterers or butchers.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Slawson can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Slauesune." This entry provides valuable insight into the name's early spelling and its presence in England during the 11th century.
Over the centuries, the name has undergone various spelling variations, including Slawsone, Slaueson, and Slauson, reflecting the fluid nature of surnames in the Middle Ages. Some of these variations may have also been influenced by different regional dialects or scribal errors.
Notably, the Slawson name has been linked to several place names in England, particularly in the counties of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. For instance, the village of Slawston in Leicestershire may have derived its name from the Slawson surname or vice versa.
Among the notable historical figures bearing the Slawson surname, John Slawson (c. 1590-1670) was a prominent English settler in America. He arrived in Massachusetts in the early 17th century and went on to establish a successful farm in Stamford, Connecticut.
Another individual of note was Sir Thomas Slawson (1621-1688), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London from 1684 to 1685. He played a significant role in the city's governance during a tumultuous period in English history.
In the literary realm, the name Slawson is associated with the English poet and playwright Robert Slawson (1633-1704), known for his satirical works and contributions to the Restoration-era theater.
Moving forward in time, George Slawson (1769-1831) was a British naval officer who distinguished himself during the Napoleonic Wars, serving under Lord Nelson and participating in several notable battles.
Lastly, the 19th century saw the emergence of the American industrialist and philanthropist Hiram Slawson (1827-1912), who amassed a considerable fortune through his successful business ventures and later donated generously to educational institutions and charitable causes.
These examples, spanning several centuries, illustrate the rich history and diverse backgrounds of individuals who have borne the Slawson surname, providing a glimpse into the name's enduring legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Slawson
Among Census respondents with the surname Slawson, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.2%) and Hispanic (3.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Slawson 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 Slawson surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.8% · 1,697
- Two or more races5.2% · 99
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 66
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 17
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 17
- Black or African American0.8% · 15
Timeline
Historical Census data for Slawson
Slawson 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
#14,368
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,081
-13 bearers (-0.6%)
Per 100,000 0.71
Rank movement Down 1,021 places
2020
#14,878
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,911
-170 bearers (-8.2%)
Per 100,000 0.64
Rank movement Down 510 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,347 | 2,094 | 0.78 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,368 | 2,081 | 0.71 | -13 bearers (-0.6%) | Down 1,021 places |
| 2020 | #14,878 | 1,911 | 0.64 | -170 bearers (-8.2%) | Down 510 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 Slawson 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 | #14,368 | #14,878 | -3.5% |
| Count | 2,081 | 1,911 | -8.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.71 | 0.64 | -10.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Slawson bearers went from 2,081 to 1,911 (-8.2% change). The surname moved down 510 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,368 to #14,878.
FAQ
Slawson surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Slawson?
Name Census estimates that about 2,191 living Americans carry the surname Slawson. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 156,437 residents.
How common is Slawson?
Slawson ranks #14,878 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.64 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 1,911 people with the surname Slawson. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,191), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.64 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.64 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 Slawson.
Has Slawson become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Slawson went from 2,081 recorded bearers to 1,911. That is a decrease of 170 (-8.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #14,368 to #14,878.
What does the Census say about the background of Slawson?
Among Census respondents with the surname Slawson, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.2%) and Hispanic (3.5%). 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 Slawson in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.8% (1,697 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Slawson appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.8%), Two or More Races (5.2%), Hispanic (3.5%). 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 Slawson (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 Slawson mean?
An English occupational surname referring to a person who works with or sells a type of woolen cloth. 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 Slawson (0.64 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 Slawson?
See how many Americans have the surname Slawson on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.