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

Steep, 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 Steep surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Steep in America

Steep is the 119508th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Steep surname appeared 145 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Steep.

We can also compare 2010 data for Steep 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 Steep

The surname Steep has its origins in England, with records dating back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "steap," which means steep or precipitous, referring to someone who lived on or near a steep hill or cliff.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Steep can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, where a William Steep was christened in 1587. The name also appears in the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1674 for the county of Essex, which listed households that had to pay a tax based on the number of hearths (fireplaces) in their homes.

In the 17th century, the Steep family seems to have been particularly prominent in the county of Suffolk, with several members mentioned in various records. For example, a Richard Steep was listed as a churchwarden in the parish of Debenham, Suffolk, in 1691.

One notable individual with the surname Steep was John Steep, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived in the town of Bury St. Edmunds in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He served as a member of the town's corporation and was involved in local politics and governance.

Another person of historical significance was Sir Thomas Steep (1648-1720), who was a member of Parliament for the borough of Ipswich in Suffolk. He was also a successful businessman and owned several estates in the area.

The name Steep can also be found in various places across England, such as Steep Hill in Lincoln, which is believed to have derived its name from the steep incline of the street, and the village of Steep in Hampshire, which is located on a steep hillside.

It is worth noting that the surname Steep has also been spelled in various ways throughout history, including Steepe, Steppe, and Stepp, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation that were common in earlier times.

Other notable individuals with the surname Steep include:

1. William Steep (1835-1912), a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London and the surrounding areas.
2. Henry Steep (1813-1887), an English clergyman and author who wrote several books on religious topics.
3. Mary Steep (1789-1867), a British writer and poet who published several collections of poems and essays during her lifetime.
4. John Steep (1770-1844), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars.
5. Robert Steep (1601-1676), an English landowner and justice of the peace in the county of Suffolk during the 17th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Steep

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

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

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

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