2000
#146,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Steavens
An occupational surname derived from an archaic term for a steward or overseer.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 132 Americans carry the last name Steavens. That puts it at #145,757 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,596,624 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Steavens 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Steavens with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
132
1 in 2,596,624
Census rank
#145,757
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
115
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 115 bearers of the surname Steavens in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145757th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Steavens, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.3%. The next largest groups are Black (20.0%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Steavens
The surname Steavens has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be a variant spelling of the name Stevens, derived from the ancient Greek name Stephanos, meaning "crown" or "garland." The name Stephanos was brought to England by Norman settlers after the Norman Conquest in 1066.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Steavens can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book lists several individuals with the name Stephanus, which was the Latin form of the name.
In the 13th century, the name Steavens appeared in various records and documents, such as the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire and the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire. These rolls were administrative records that documented taxes, land ownership, and other legal matters.
The earliest known person with the surname Steavens was John Steavens, who was born in Lincolnshire, England, in the late 14th century. He was a landowner and is mentioned in various legal documents from that time period.
Another notable individual with the surname Steavens was Sir Edward Steavens, who lived in the 16th century and was a prominent merchant and alderman in the City of London. He was also a member of the Worshipful Company of Grocers, one of the oldest livery companies in London.
In the 17th century, the name Steavens was associated with several notable figures, including Richard Steavens, a wealthy merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire, who was born in 1620 and died in 1698. He was known for his philanthropic efforts and funded the construction of several churches and schools in the area.
Another notable figure from this period was William Steavens, a renowned architect and surveyor who was born in 1650 and died in 1725. He was responsible for the design and construction of several churches and public buildings in London, including the church of St. Mary-le-Bow in the City of London.
In the 18th century, the name Steavens was associated with several literary figures, including George Steavens, who was born in 1720 and died in 1799. He was a renowned editor and commentator on the works of William Shakespeare and contributed to several editions of Shakespeare's plays.
The 19th century saw the rise of several prominent Steavens individuals in various fields, including John Steavens, a renowned botanist and naturalist who was born in 1809 and died in 1888. He made significant contributions to the study of plant life and was a member of various scientific societies.
Overall, the surname Steavens has a rich history and has been associated with notable individuals across various fields, including business, architecture, literature, and science. While the name may have evolved over time, its origins can be traced back to the Norman Conquest and the ancient Greek name Stephanos.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Steavens
Among Census respondents with the surname Steavens, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.3%. The next largest groups are Black (20.0%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Steavens 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 Steavens surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White71.3% · 82
- Black or African American20.0% · 23
- Two or more races4.3% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Steavens
Steavens 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
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+11 bearers (+10.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,870 places
2020
#145,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,616 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #146,011 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | +11 bearers (+10.6%) | Up 1,870 places |
| 2020 | #145,757 | 115 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 1,616 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 Steavens 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 | #144,141 | #145,757 | -1.1% |
| Count | 115 | 115 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Steavens bearers went from 115 to 115 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 1,616 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #145,757.
FAQ
Steavens surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Steavens?
Name Census estimates that about 132 living Americans carry the surname Steavens. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,596,624 residents.
How common is Steavens?
Steavens ranks #145,757 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 115 people with the surname Steavens. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (132), 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 Steavens.
Has Steavens become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Steavens went from 115 recorded bearers to 115. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #145,757.
What does the Census say about the background of Steavens?
Among Census respondents with the surname Steavens, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.3%. The next largest groups are Black (20.0%) and Two or More Races (4.3%). 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 Steavens in the 2020 Census, accounting for 71.3% (82 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Steavens appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (71.3%), Black (20.0%), Two or More Races (4.3%). 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 Steavens (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 Steavens mean?
An occupational surname derived from an archaic term for a steward or overseer. 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 Steavens (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 have the last name Steavens?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how common the surname Steavens is at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.