2000
#59,293
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 319
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.12
Very Rare Last name
Stepanov
A Russian surname derived from the word "step", referring to someone from the steppes or prairies.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 691 Americans carry the last name Stepanov. That puts it at #39,379 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.20 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 496,027 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Stepanov 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
691
1 in 496,027
Census rank
#39,379
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
603
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 603 bearers of the surname Stepanov in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.20 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 39379th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Stepanov, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.2%) and Hispanic (1.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Stepanov
The surname Stepanov has its origins in Russia, dating back to the 15th century. It is a patronymic surname, derived from the personal name Stepan, which is a Russian form of the Greek name Stephanos, meaning "crown" or "wreath."
The earliest recorded instances of the name Stepanov can be found in various historical documents and records from the Russian Empire. One notable example is Ivan Stepanov, a merchant from Novgorod who was mentioned in a trade document from 1492.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Stepanov was particularly prevalent in the regions of Ryazan, Tver, and Yaroslavl. These areas were known for their thriving trade and agricultural activities, which may have contributed to the spread of the name.
In the 18th century, the Stepanov surname gained prominence with the rise of Fyodor Stepanov (1712-1768), a prominent Russian architect who designed several notable buildings in St. Petersburg, including the Smolny Cathedral.
Another notable figure with the Stepanov surname was Nikolai Stepanov (1807-1882), a Russian writer and literary critic who played a significant role in the development of Russian realism in literature.
During the 19th century, the Stepanov name was also associated with various Russian military leaders. One such example is Mikhail Stepanov (1829-1898), a decorated general who served in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878.
In the early 20th century, the Stepanov surname gained further recognition with the birth of Vladimir Stepanov (1901-1972), a renowned Soviet film director and screenwriter. His contributions to Soviet cinema were highly influential, and he is considered one of the pioneers of the Soviet film industry.
Another notable figure with the Stepanov surname is Georgy Stepanov (1919-1986), a Soviet chess player and author who achieved the title of International Grandmaster and made significant contributions to the study of chess theory and strategy.
These are just a few examples of the rich history and legacy associated with the surname Stepanov, which has deep roots in Russian culture and has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Stepanov
Among Census respondents with the surname Stepanov, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.2%) and Hispanic (1.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Stepanov 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 Stepanov surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.0% · 579
- Two or more races2.2% · 13
- Hispanic or Latino1.5% · 9
- Black or African American0.2% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.2% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Stepanov
Stepanov 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
#42,720
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 507
+188 bearers (+58.9%)
Per 100,000 0.17
Rank movement Up 16,573 places
2020
#39,379
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 603
+96 bearers (+18.9%)
Per 100,000 0.20
Rank movement Up 3,341 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #59,293 | 319 | 0.12 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #42,720 | 507 | 0.17 | +188 bearers (+58.9%) | Up 16,573 places |
| 2020 | #39,379 | 603 | 0.20 | +96 bearers (+18.9%) | Up 3,341 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 Stepanov 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 | #42,720 | #39,379 | 7.8% |
| Count | 507 | 603 | 18.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.17 | 0.20 | 18.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Stepanov bearers went from 507 to 603 (+18.9% change). The surname moved up 3,341 positions in the national ranking, going from #42,720 to #39,379.
FAQ
Stepanov surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Stepanov?
Name Census estimates that about 691 living Americans carry the surname Stepanov. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 496,027 residents.
How common is Stepanov?
Stepanov ranks #39,379 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.20 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 603 people with the surname Stepanov. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (691), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.2 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.20 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 Stepanov.
Has Stepanov become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Stepanov went from 507 recorded bearers to 603. That is an increase of 96 (+18.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #42,720 to #39,379.
What does the Census say about the background of Stepanov?
Among Census respondents with the surname Stepanov, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.2%) and Hispanic (1.5%). 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 Stepanov in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.0% (579 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Stepanov appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.0%), Two or More Races (2.2%), Hispanic (1.5%). 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 Stepanov (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 Stepanov mean?
A Russian surname derived from the word "step", referring to someone from the steppes or prairies. 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 Stepanov (0.20 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 Americans have the surname Stepanov?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.