2000
#101,157
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 165
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Stele
A surname derived from the Greek word "stele," meaning an upright stone slab or monument.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Stele. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Stele 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Stele in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Stele, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.8%. The next largest groups are Black (13.3%) and Hispanic (9.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Stele
The surname "STELE" is believed to have originated in ancient Greece, derived from the Greek word "stele," which means a stone slab or pillar used for inscriptions or as a monument. This name likely emerged during the classical period of ancient Greek civilization, spanning from the 5th to the 4th century BCE.
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to various Greek inscriptions and artifacts from this era, where individuals with the name "STELE" or similar variations were mentioned. It's possible that the name was initially associated with stonemasons or artisans who crafted these stone monuments.
During the Byzantine period, which lasted from the 4th to the 15th century CE, the name "STELE" continued to be used, particularly in regions influenced by Greek culture and language. Records from this time period, such as church documents and official chronicles, may contain references to individuals bearing this surname.
One notable figure bearing the surname "STELE" was Georgios Stele, a Byzantine scholar and philosopher who lived in the 14th century. He is known for his contributions to the study of ancient Greek literature and his influential writings on philosophy and theology.
As the Greek diaspora spread across the Mediterranean region and beyond, the name "STELE" likely traveled with them. In the medieval period, it may have been adopted or adapted by various cultures and languages, leading to variations in spelling and pronunciation.
In the 16th century, a prominent individual named Petros Stele made a significant impact in the field of architecture. He was a renowned Greek architect who designed and constructed several notable buildings and monuments in various parts of the Ottoman Empire.
Another noteworthy figure was Alexandros Stele, a Greek military commander who lived during the 17th century. He played a crucial role in the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire and is celebrated for his strategic leadership and bravery on the battlefield.
Tracing the surname "STELE" through historical records and documents can provide insights into its evolution, migration patterns, and the cultural and linguistic influences that shaped its various forms over time.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Stele
Among Census respondents with the surname Stele, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.8%. The next largest groups are Black (13.3%) and Hispanic (9.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Stele 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 Stele surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White70.8% · 80
- Black or African American13.3% · 15
- Hispanic or Latino9.7% · 11
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.5% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.7% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Stele
Stele 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
#123,064
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 140
-25 bearers (-15.2%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 21,907 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-27 bearers (-19.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 24,157 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #101,157 | 165 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #123,064 | 140 | 0.05 | -25 bearers (-15.2%) | Down 21,907 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -27 bearers (-19.3%) | Down 24,157 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 Stele 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 | #123,064 | #147,221 | -19.6% |
| Count | 140 | 113 | -19.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -24.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Stele bearers went from 140 to 113 (-19.3% change). The surname moved down 24,157 positions in the national ranking, going from #123,064 to #147,221.
FAQ
Stele surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Stele?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Stele. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Stele?
Stele ranks #147,221 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 113 people with the surname Stele. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), 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 Stele.
Has Stele become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Stele went from 140 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 27 (-19.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #123,064 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Stele?
Among Census respondents with the surname Stele, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.8%. The next largest groups are Black (13.3%) and Hispanic (9.7%). 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 Stele in the 2020 Census, accounting for 70.8% (80 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Stele appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (70.8%), Black (13.3%), Hispanic (9.7%). 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 Stele (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 Stele mean?
A surname derived from the Greek word "stele," meaning an upright stone slab or monument. 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 Stele (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 Stele?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Stele on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.