2000
#139,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Stephanson
A patronymic surname indicating the individual's father's name was Stephen.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Stephanson. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Stephanson 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Stephanson in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Stephanson, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.0%. The next largest groups are Black (17.5%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Stephanson
The surname Stephanson is of English origin, derived from the personal name Stephen, which is ultimately from the Greek name Stephanos, meaning "crown" or "wreath". The addition of the patronymic suffix "-son" indicates that the name refers to the son of someone named Stephen.
The earliest recorded instance of the surname Stephanson dates back to the 13th century in Yorkshire, England. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, there is a reference to a William Stevenesson, which is believed to be an early spelling variation of Stephanson.
During the medieval period, the name was often associated with individuals who held positions of authority or status within their communities. For example, in the Pipe Rolls of 1196, there is a mention of a Robert Stevenesson, who was a landowner in Lincolnshire.
One notable early bearer of the surname was Sir John Stephanson (c. 1350-1428), a prominent English soldier and Member of Parliament during the reigns of Richard II and Henry IV. He played a significant role in the Wars of the Roses and was knighted for his military service.
Another historical figure with the surname Stephanson was William Stephanson (1556-1629), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Ipswich, Suffolk. He published several works on religious topics and was known for his sermons.
In the 17th century, the surname Stephanson gained further recognition with the exploits of Captain James Stephanson (1620-1677), an English naval officer and explorer. He is credited with mapping the western coast of Australia and making significant contributions to the field of cartography.
As the surname spread across England, various spelling variations emerged, including Stevenson, Stephenson, and Stevinson. These variations often reflected regional accents and dialects, as well as the preferences of individual families or record-keepers.
Notable individuals with the surname Stephanson in more recent history include Robert Stephanson (1819-1893), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, and Catherine Stephanson (1879-1958), an American writer and journalist known for her contributions to feminist literature.
While the surname Stephanson is not as common as some other English surnames, it has a rich history that spans several centuries and encompasses individuals from various walks of life, including soldiers, clergy, explorers, architects, and writers.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Stephanson
Among Census respondents with the surname Stephanson, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.0%. The next largest groups are Black (17.5%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Stephanson 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 Stephanson surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White75.0% · 90
- Black or African American17.5% · 21
- Two or more races4.2% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.3% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Stephanson
Stephanson 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
#145,220
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+4 bearers (+3.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,463 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+6 bearers (+5.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,171 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #139,757 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #145,220 | 114 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.6%) | Down 5,463 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.3%) | Up 3,171 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 Stephanson 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 | #145,220 | #142,049 | 2.2% |
| Count | 114 | 120 | 5.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Stephanson bearers went from 114 to 120 (+5.3% change). The surname moved up 3,171 positions in the national ranking, going from #145,220 to #142,049.
FAQ
Stephanson surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Stephanson?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Stephanson. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Stephanson?
Stephanson ranks #142,049 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 120 people with the surname Stephanson. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), 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 Stephanson.
Has Stephanson become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Stephanson went from 114 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 6 (+5.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #145,220 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Stephanson?
Among Census respondents with the surname Stephanson, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.0%. The next largest groups are Black (17.5%) 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 Stephanson in the 2020 Census, accounting for 75.0% (90 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Stephanson appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (75.0%), Black (17.5%), 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 Stephanson (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 Stephanson mean?
A patronymic surname indicating the individual's father's name was Stephen. 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 Stephanson (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 Stephanson?
Want to know how many people have the last name Stephanson? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.