2000
#141,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Stellema
A Dutch surname thought to be derived from the Old Frisian word "stilli" meaning "support" or "prop."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Stellema. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Stellema 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Stellema in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Stellema, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Stellema
The surname Stellema has its origins in the Netherlands, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Dutch word "stel," meaning "to place" or "to set," combined with the suffix "-ema," which is a common name ending in the Dutch language.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the historic city of Leiden, where a merchant named Pieter Stellema is documented in records from the year 1583. Leiden was a prominent center of trade and commerce during this period, suggesting that the Stellema family may have been involved in business activities.
Another notable reference to the name appears in the archives of the city of Groningen, where a land ownership record from 1612 lists a Hendrik Stellema as the proprietor of a parcel of farmland in the outskirts of the city. This indicates that the name was also associated with agricultural communities in the northern regions of the Netherlands.
In the 17th century, a scholar named Johannes Stellema (1599-1672) gained recognition for his contributions to the field of theology. He authored several works on religious doctrine and served as a professor at the University of Groningen, a prestigious institution of higher learning at the time.
During the 18th century, the name Stellema appears in connection with the Dutch East India Company (VOC), one of the most influential trading organizations in history. Records show that a captain named Dirk Stellema (1712-1784) commanded several voyages for the VOC, transporting goods and personnel between the Netherlands and its colonial territories in Asia.
Another noteworthy individual bearing the Stellema surname was Antje Stellema (1761-1832), a prominent figure in the Dutch Patriot movement. She actively participated in the struggle for Dutch independence from the rule of the House of Orange, demonstrating the political involvement of some members of the Stellema family during this turbulent period.
Throughout the centuries, the Stellema name has been associated with various professions, including merchants, scholars, sailors, and political activists, reflecting the diverse roles and contributions of those who carried this surname across the Netherlands and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Stellema
Among Census respondents with the surname Stellema, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Stellema 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 Stellema surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.7% · 107
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 5
- Two or more races4.2% · 5
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Stellema
Stellema 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
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,744 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+10 bearers (+9.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 8,021 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #141,788 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 9,744 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +10 bearers (+9.3%) | Up 8,021 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 Stellema 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 | #151,532 | #143,511 | 5.3% |
| Count | 108 | 118 | 9.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Stellema bearers went from 108 to 118 (+9.3% change). The surname moved up 8,021 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #143,511.
FAQ
Stellema surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Stellema?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Stellema. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Stellema?
Stellema ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Stellema. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Stellema.
Has Stellema become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Stellema went from 108 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 10 (+9.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #151,532 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Stellema?
Among Census respondents with the surname Stellema, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (4.2%). 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 Stellema in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.7% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Stellema appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.7%), Hispanic (4.2%), Two or More Races (4.2%). 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 Stellema (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 Stellema mean?
A Dutch surname thought to be derived from the Old Frisian word "stilli" meaning "support" or "prop." 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 Stellema (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 Stellema?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Stellema is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.