2000
#12,252
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,330
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.86
Rare Last name
Snelson
An English locational surname derived from a place meaning "steep hill" in Old English.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,480 Americans carry the last name Snelson. That puts it at #13,457 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.72 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 138,207 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Snelson 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 Snelson with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.5K
1 in 138,207
Census rank
#13,457
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,163 bearers of the surname Snelson in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.72 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13457th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Snelson, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.9%. The next largest groups are Black (6.3%) and Hispanic (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Snelson
Among Census respondents with the surname Snelson, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.9%. The next largest groups are Black (6.3%) and Hispanic (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Snelson 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 Snelson surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.9% · 1,837
- Black or African American6.3% · 137
- Hispanic or Latino3.9% · 85
- Two or more races3.6% · 78
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 14
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 12
Timeline
Historical Census data for Snelson
Snelson 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
#13,203
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,315
-15 bearers (-0.6%)
Per 100,000 0.78
Rank movement Down 951 places
2020
#13,457
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,163
-152 bearers (-6.6%)
Per 100,000 0.72
Rank movement Down 254 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,252 | 2,330 | 0.86 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,203 | 2,315 | 0.78 | -15 bearers (-0.6%) | Down 951 places |
| 2020 | #13,457 | 2,163 | 0.72 | -152 bearers (-6.6%) | Down 254 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 Snelson 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 | #13,203 | #13,457 | -1.9% |
| Count | 2,315 | 2,163 | -6.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.78 | 0.72 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Snelson bearers went from 2,315 to 2,163 (-6.6% change). The surname moved down 254 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,203 to #13,457.
FAQ
Snelson surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Snelson?
Name Census estimates that about 2,480 living Americans carry the surname Snelson. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 138,207 residents.
How common is Snelson?
Snelson ranks #13,457 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.72 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 2,163 people with the surname Snelson. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,480), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.72 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.72 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 Snelson.
Has Snelson become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Snelson went from 2,315 recorded bearers to 2,163. That is a decrease of 152 (-6.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #13,203 to #13,457.
What does the Census say about the background of Snelson?
Among Census respondents with the surname Snelson, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.9%. The next largest groups are Black (6.3%) and Hispanic (3.9%). 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 Snelson in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.9% (1,837 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Snelson appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.9%), Black (6.3%), Hispanic (3.9%). 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 Snelson (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 Snelson mean?
An English locational surname derived from a place meaning "steep hill" in Old English. 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 Snelson (0.72 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 share the surname Snelson?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.