2010
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Snake
An English surname sometimes referring to a deceitful person or one's slender build.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Snake. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Snake 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Snake in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Snake, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 59.7%. The next largest groups are White (23.5%) and Two or More Races (9.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Snake
The surname "SNAKE" has its origins in the Old English word "snaca", which means "serpent" or "snake". This surname is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century.
The name "SNAKE" was likely derived from a nickname or occupational name given to someone who worked with snakes, perhaps a snake charmer or a seller of snake-based remedies. It may also have been bestowed upon someone who was perceived to have snake-like characteristics, such as being sly, cunning, or stealthy.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "SNAKE" can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from the year 1273, where a person named Willelmus Snake is mentioned. Another early reference is in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1332, which lists a John Snake.
In the 14th century, the surname appears in various spellings, such as "Snakke", "Snaik", and "Snayke", reflecting the phonetic variations of the time. The Hundred Rolls of Wiltshire from 1273 mention a Reginald Snakke, while the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 list a William Snaik.
One notable bearer of the surname "SNAKE" was John Snake (c. 1510-1586), an English Protestant reformer and clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Chester and the Bishop of Bangor. Another was Thomas Snake (1630-1689), an English clergyman and writer who authored works on theology and philosophy.
In the 17th century, the surname "SNAKE" was found in various regions of England, including Essex, where a family by the name of Snake owned the manor of Little Bardfield. Henry Snake (1618-1689) was a member of this family and served as the Rector of Ramsey in Essex.
Later, in the 18th century, there was a notable family of Snakes who were landowners in Northamptonshire. One member of this family was William Snake (1741-1818), who served as the High Sheriff of Northamptonshire in 1781.
Another historical figure with the surname "SNAKE" was Richard Snake (1654-1726), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of calculus and the theory of equations.
While the surname "SNAKE" is relatively uncommon in modern times, it continues to hold a unique place in the history of English surnames, reflecting the rich linguistic and cultural heritage of the country.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Snake
Among Census respondents with the surname Snake, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 59.7%. The next largest groups are White (23.5%) and Two or More Races (9.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Snake 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 Snake surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- American Indian and Alaska Native59.7% · 71
- White23.5% · 28
- Two or more races9.2% · 11
- Hispanic or Latino5.9% · 7
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Snake
Snake appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+11 bearers (+10.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 8,744 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +11 bearers (+10.2%) | Up 8,744 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 Snake 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 | #151,532 | #142,788 | 5.8% |
| Count | 108 | 119 | 10.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Snake bearers went from 108 to 119 (+10.2% change). The surname moved up 8,744 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #142,788.
FAQ
Snake surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Snake?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Snake. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Snake?
Snake ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Snake. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Snake.
Has Snake become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Snake went from 108 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 11 (+10.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #151,532 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Snake?
Among Census respondents with the surname Snake, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 59.7%. The next largest groups are White (23.5%) and Two or More Races (9.2%). 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 Snake in the 2020 Census, accounting for 59.7% (71 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Snake appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are American Indian/Alaska Native (59.7%), White (23.5%), Two or More Races (9.2%). 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 Snake (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 Snake mean?
An English surname sometimes referring to a deceitful person or one's slender build. 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 Snake (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 many people have the surname Snake?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.