2000
#117,538
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 137
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Southerlin
A surname denoting someone from a southern region or dwelling place.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Southerlin. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Southerlin 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Southerlin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Southerlin, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Black (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Southerlin
The surname SOUTHERLIN is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, specifically in the southern regions of the country. It is likely derived from the Old English words "suth" and "erling," which translate to "southern" and "person," respectively. This suggests that the name was initially given to individuals who hailed from the southern parts of England or were associated with those areas.
One of the earliest known references to the SOUTHERLIN surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings and taxation compiled in 1086 on the orders of William the Conqueror. This ancient document mentions a landowner named Godric Sutherlin, whose estate was located in the county of Dorset, further solidifying the southern connection of the name.
During the 13th century, variations of the spelling emerged, including Sutherlin, Sutherlyne, and Sutherlynge. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and the evolving nature of language over time. It is also worth noting that some individuals with this surname may have been associated with specific place names, such as Sutherland or Southerland, which could have contributed to the development of the SOUTHERLIN spelling.
In the 14th century, a notable figure named William Southerlin (1310-1378) was recorded as a wealthy landowner and influential member of the gentry in the county of Somerset. His descendants continued to hold significant social and political positions throughout the following centuries.
Another prominent individual bearing this surname was Sir John Southerlin (1525-1598), a successful merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. His legacy included substantial investments in the exploration and colonization efforts of the New World, contributing to the expansion of English influence across the Atlantic.
During the 17th century, the SOUTHERLIN surname gained further recognition with the birth of Reverend Thomas Southerlin (1643-1718), a respected clergyman and scholar who served as the Dean of Salisbury Cathedral. His theological works and sermons were widely circulated and respected among the ecclesiastical circles of his time.
In the 18th century, Captain James Southerlin (1732-1805) made a name for himself as a skilled navigator and explorer in the Royal Navy. His voyages to the West Indies and the Caribbean were documented in several nautical logs, contributing to the expansion of Britain's maritime knowledge and influence.
The 19th century saw the emergence of Sir Edward Southerlin (1821-1892), a prominent lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for several constituencies in England. His legal expertise and advocacy for social reforms left a lasting impact on the legislative landscape of his era.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Southerlin
Among Census respondents with the surname Southerlin, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Black (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Southerlin 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 Southerlin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.7% · 110
- Two or more races4.2% · 5
- Black or African American2.5% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Southerlin
Southerlin 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
#127,494
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 134
-3 bearers (-2.2%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 9,956 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
-14 bearers (-10.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 14,555 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #117,538 | 137 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #127,494 | 134 | 0.05 | -3 bearers (-2.2%) | Down 9,956 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | -14 bearers (-10.4%) | Down 14,555 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 Southerlin 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 | #127,494 | #142,049 | -11.4% |
| Count | 134 | 120 | -10.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -19.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Southerlin bearers went from 134 to 120 (-10.4% change). The surname moved down 14,555 positions in the national ranking, going from #127,494 to #142,049.
FAQ
Southerlin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Southerlin?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Southerlin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Southerlin?
Southerlin ranks #142,049 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 120 people with the surname Southerlin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), 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 Southerlin.
Has Southerlin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Southerlin went from 134 recorded bearers to 120. That is a decrease of 14 (-10.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #127,494 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Southerlin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Southerlin, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Black (2.5%). 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 Southerlin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.7% (110 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Southerlin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.7%), Two or More Races (4.2%), Black (2.5%). 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 Southerlin (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 Southerlin mean?
A surname denoting someone from a southern region or dwelling place. 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 Southerlin (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 Southerlin?
If you just want to know how common the surname Southerlin is, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.