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

Southern, 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 Southern surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Southern in America

Southern is the 4587th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Southern surname appeared 7,738 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Southern.

We can also compare 2010 data for Southern 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 Southern

The surname Southern is of English origin, derived from the descriptive term "southern" which referred to someone who lived in the southern part of a particular area or region. This name likely emerged during the medieval period, when regional identifiers were commonly used to distinguish individuals.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Southern surname can be found in the Gloucestershire Subsidy Rolls of 1327, which mention a John le Southerne. This early spelling variation highlights the evolving nature of surnames during that time.

In the 14th century, the Southern name also appeared in the Feet of Fines records for Suffolk, indicating its presence in different parts of England. These legal documents often provide valuable insights into the geographic distribution of surnames.

The Southern surname may also have originated from place names such as Southerne, a hamlet in the parish of Kemerton, Worcestershire. This connection to specific locations was common in the development of many English surnames.

Notable individuals with the Southern surname include John Southern, an English dramatist and playwright born in 1592. His works, such as "The Loyal Brother" and "The Rambling Lady," earned him recognition in the 17th century theatrical scene.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Southern, born in 1668, who served as a Church of England clergyman and became a renowned preacher and author in his time. His sermons and writings on religious topics were widely circulated.

In the 18th century, the Southern name was associated with Henry Southern, a British naval officer who participated in several notable battles during the American Revolutionary War. He was born in 1741 and rose to the rank of Admiral in the Royal Navy.

The 19th century saw the emergence of Sir Samuel Southern, a British politician and lawyer born in 1812. He held influential positions, including serving as a Member of Parliament and as a Judge of the High Court of Judicature.

Lastly, in the early 20th century, Sir Edward Southern, born in 1870, made significant contributions to the field of engineering. He was instrumental in the development of the London Underground railway system and held prominent roles in various engineering organizations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Southern

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

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 Southern 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 Southern 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 Southern was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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