2000
#134,037
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Soapes
A habitational surname derived from a location named with the Old English words "sop" meaning marshy area and "æsc" meaning ash tree.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Soapes. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Soapes 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
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Soapes in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Soapes, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.2%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Soapes
The surname SOAPES is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "sop," meaning a small loaf of bread or a piece of bread soaked in liquid. The name likely originated as an occupational surname for a baker or someone who made and sold small loaves of bread.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it appears as "Symond le Sope." This early spelling variation highlights the connection to the Old English word "sop."
During the 14th century, the name appeared in various records across England, including the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which mentions a "Johannes Soope." This suggests that the surname had begun to take on its more modern spelling form.
In the 15th century, the name SOAPES can be found in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1428, where a "Thomas Sopes" is recorded. This demonstrates the name's spread across different regions of England.
One notable figure bearing the SOAPES surname was Sir John Soapes, a prominent English merchant and politician who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries (c. 1560-1631). He served as a Member of Parliament and was involved in establishing trade relationships with the Ottoman Empire.
Another historical figure was Reverend Benjamin Soapes (1624-1690), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Chalgrove in Oxfordshire. He published several works, including a treatise on the sacraments.
In the 18th century, the SOAPES surname gained further recognition with the birth of John Soapes (1747-1823), a successful businessman and landowner in Gloucestershire. He played a significant role in the development of the local community and served as a magistrate.
Chronicling the history of the SOAPES surname, one cannot overlook the contributions of Sir Edward Soapes (1819-1892), a British naval officer who rose to the rank of Admiral and was knighted for his distinguished service.
The name SOAPES has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Soapers Lane in Oxfordshire, which likely derived its name from the presence of individuals with the SOAPES surname in the area.
While the SOAPES surname has its origins in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and diaspora communities. However, this history focuses primarily on the name's roots and development within its country of origin.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Soapes
Among Census respondents with the surname Soapes, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.2%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Soapes 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 Soapes surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.3% · 93
- Hispanic or Latino9.2% · 10
- American Indian and Alaska Native3.7% · 4
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Soapes
Soapes 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
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-13 bearers (-11.2%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 23,197 places
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+6 bearers (+5.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 7,029 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,037 | 116 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | -13 bearers (-11.2%) | Down 23,197 places |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.8%) | Up 7,029 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 Soapes 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 | #157,234 | #150,205 | 4.5% |
| Count | 103 | 109 | 5.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 21.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Soapes bearers went from 103 to 109 (+5.8% change). The surname moved up 7,029 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #150,205.
FAQ
Soapes surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Soapes?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Soapes. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Soapes?
Soapes ranks #150,205 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 109 people with the surname Soapes. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), 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 Soapes.
Has Soapes become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Soapes went from 103 recorded bearers to 109. That is an increase of 6 (+5.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Soapes?
Among Census respondents with the surname Soapes, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.2%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (3.7%). 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 Soapes in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.3% (93 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Soapes appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.3%), Hispanic (9.2%), American Indian/Alaska Native (3.7%). 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 Soapes (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 Soapes mean?
A habitational surname derived from a location named with the Old English words "sop" meaning marshy area and "æsc" meaning ash tree. 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 Soapes (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 Soapes?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people are called Soapes at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.