2010
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Soudan
An ethnic surname indicating origins from or relation to Sudan.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Soudan. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Soudan 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
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Soudan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Soudan, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.5%) and Black (8.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Soudan
The surname Soudan has its origins rooted in France, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word 'soudain,' which translates to 'sudden' or 'unexpected.' This surname likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone with a quick temper or impulsive nature.
In the early 13th century, records indicate the presence of the surname Soudan in the northern regions of France, particularly in Normandy and Picardy. The earliest known bearer of this name was Guillaume Soudan, a landowner from the village of Rouen, mentioned in a charter from 1248.
During the medieval period, the surname Soudan appeared in various historical documents and manuscripts, such as the Cartulary of Notre-Dame de Paris, dating back to the 14th century. This suggests that the name was well-established among the French population during that time.
One notable figure bearing the Soudan surname was Jean Soudan, a French merchant and explorer who lived in the late 15th century. He is credited with being one of the first Europeans to establish trade relations with the kingdom of Benin, located in present-day Nigeria.
In the 16th century, the name Soudan evolved into different spellings, such as Soudain and Soudayne, reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and orthography. Records from this period mention individuals like Pierre Soudayne, a prominent lawyer from Dijon, born in 1522.
The 17th century saw the emergence of Jacques Soudan, a renowned French architect and engineer who contributed to the construction of several significant buildings in Paris, including the Palais du Louvre and the Église de la Sorbonne. He lived from 1602 to 1678.
Another notable figure was Marie-Andrée Soudan, a French painter and engraver who gained recognition during the late 18th century. Born in 1752, she was one of the few female artists of her time to achieve success in the male-dominated art world.
In the 19th century, the Soudan surname was associated with several notable individuals, including Léon Soudan, a French military officer and explorer who played a significant role in the colonization of Algeria in the 1830s and 1840s.
Throughout its history, the surname Soudan has been closely tied to various regions of France, particularly in the north and central areas. While variations in spelling occurred over time, the name has maintained its distinctive French origins and continues to be prevalent in contemporary France.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Soudan
Among Census respondents with the surname Soudan, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.5%) and Black (8.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Soudan 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 Soudan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White78.1% · 82
- Two or more races9.5% · 10
- Black or African American8.6% · 9
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Soudan
Soudan 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
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,918 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Up 1,918 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 Soudan 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 | #154,907 | #152,989 | 1.2% |
| Count | 105 | 105 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Soudan bearers went from 105 to 105 (+0.0% change). The surname moved up 1,918 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #152,989.
FAQ
Soudan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Soudan?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Soudan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Soudan?
Soudan ranks #152,989 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 105 people with the surname Soudan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), 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 Soudan.
Has Soudan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Soudan went from 105 recorded bearers to 105. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Soudan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Soudan, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.5%) and Black (8.6%). 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 Soudan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.1% (82 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Soudan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (78.1%), Two or More Races (9.5%), Black (8.6%). 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 Soudan (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 Soudan mean?
An ethnic surname indicating origins from or relation to Sudan. 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 Soudan (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 share the surname Soudan?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.