2000
#11,026
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,645
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.98
Rare Last name
States
A surname likely derived from a place of origin or residence near a state or states.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,951 Americans carry the last name States. That puts it at #11,664 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.86 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 116,149 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the States 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
3.0K
1 in 116,149
Census rank
#11,664
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,573 bearers of the surname States in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.86 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11664th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname States, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.1%. The next largest groups are Black (8.7%) and Two or More Races (4.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of States
The surname "States" is believed to have originated from England, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. This name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "stath," which referred to a landing place or a river bank. Alternatively, it could also be linked to the Old English word "stede," meaning a place or a site.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname "States" can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This suggests that the name was already established in various regions of the country by the late 11th century.
During the 13th century, the surname "States" appeared in various forms, such as "Stathes" and "Stathys," reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling. These earlier spellings often referred to individuals who resided near a river or a landing place, highlighting the name's connection to geographical locations.
In the 14th century, records indicate the presence of a family named "States" in the county of Yorkshire. One notable member was John States, who was born in 1324 and served as a prominent landowner and local official in the region.
As the centuries progressed, the surname "States" spread to other parts of England, with records showing individuals bearing this name in counties like Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and Derbyshire. In the 16th century, a prominent figure named William States (1542-1619) gained recognition as a renowned scholar and theologian at the University of Cambridge.
In the 17th century, the surname "States" was also found in various parts of Scotland, suggesting that some individuals with this name may have migrated or had ancestral ties to that region. One notable Scotsman was Robert States (1638-1702), a respected merchant and landowner in the city of Edinburgh.
As the British Empire expanded, individuals with the surname "States" were among those who ventured to other parts of the world, carrying their name to various colonies and settlements. In the 18th century, records show a family named States residing in the British colony of Virginia, where they played a significant role in local affairs and commerce.
Throughout history, the surname "States" has been associated with various occupations and professions, including landowners, merchants, scholars, and clergymen. While the name may have originated from geographical references, it has since taken on a broader meaning and has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for States
Among Census respondents with the surname States, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.1%. The next largest groups are Black (8.7%) and Two or More Races (4.9%).
The bar chart below shows how States 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 States surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.1% · 2,087
- Black or African American8.7% · 225
- Two or more races4.9% · 127
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 108
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 19
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for States
States 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
#10,993
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,893
+248 bearers (+9.4%)
Per 100,000 0.98
Rank movement Up 33 places
2020
#11,664
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,573
-320 bearers (-11.1%)
Per 100,000 0.86
Rank movement Down 671 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,026 | 2,645 | 0.98 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,993 | 2,893 | 0.98 | +248 bearers (+9.4%) | Up 33 places |
| 2020 | #11,664 | 2,573 | 0.86 | -320 bearers (-11.1%) | Down 671 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 States 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 | #10,993 | #11,664 | -6.1% |
| Count | 2,893 | 2,573 | -11.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.98 | 0.86 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of States bearers went from 2,893 to 2,573 (-11.1% change). The surname moved down 671 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,993 to #11,664.
FAQ
States surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname States?
Name Census estimates that about 2,951 living Americans carry the surname States. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 116,149 residents.
How common is States?
States ranks #11,664 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.86 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 2,573 people with the surname States. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,951), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.86 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.86 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 States.
Has States become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname States went from 2,893 recorded bearers to 2,573. That is a decrease of 320 (-11.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #10,993 to #11,664.
What does the Census say about the background of States?
Among Census respondents with the surname States, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.1%. The next largest groups are Black (8.7%) and Two or More Races (4.9%). 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 States in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.1% (2,087 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
States appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.1%), Black (8.7%), Two or More Races (4.9%). 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 States (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 States mean?
A surname likely derived from a place of origin or residence near a state or states. 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 States (0.86 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 have the surname States?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.