Find out how popular the last name Snelson is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Snelson.

Snelson, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Snelson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Snelson in America

Snelson is the 13203rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Snelson surname appeared 2,315 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Snelson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Snelson to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Snelson

The surname Snelson has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "snel" and "sunu," meaning "swift" and "son," respectively. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a swift or quick person.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Snelson can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which lists a person named Richard Snellson in Lincolnshire. This early spelling variation highlights the evolution of the surname over time.

During the medieval period, the name Snelson was primarily concentrated in the counties of Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and Yorkshire. It is possible that the name originated from a place name, as was common practice during that era.

In the 16th century, the Snelson family gained prominence with the birth of Thomas Snelson (1545-1594), a notable English clergyman and academic. He served as the Master of Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, and played a significant role in the university's governance.

Another notable figure was John Snelson (1593-1638), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Provost of King's College, Cambridge, from 1628 until his death. He was known for his contributions to the university's administration and his involvement in theological debates.

The 17th century saw the emergence of William Snelson (1609-1677), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire during the Commonwealth period. He played a role in the political turmoil of his time and was a supporter of Oliver Cromwell.

In the 18th century, the name Snelson gained literary recognition with the birth of Samuel Snelson (1726-1790), an English poet and playwright. He authored several works, including the tragedy "The Regicide" and the comedy "The Citizen."

The 19th century brought forth Joseph Snelson (1835-1912), a British architect who made significant contributions to the development of Victorian architecture in England. Some of his notable works include the design of churches and public buildings in various cities.

Throughout its history, the surname Snelson has been associated with individuals from various professions, including clergy, academics, politicians, and artists. While its origins can be traced back to England, the name has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Snelson

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Snelson.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Snelson was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Snelson has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Snelson was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Snelson, please contact us.

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