2010
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Stephas
A Greek surname derived from the word "Stephanos" meaning "crown" or "garland".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Stephas. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Stephas 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Stephas in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Stephas, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Hispanic (4.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Stephas
The surname "STEPHAS" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "stæppe," meaning a step or a footprint, potentially indicating that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a set of steps or a steep incline.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named "Radulfus Stephas" in the county of Lincolnshire.
In the 13th century, the name appeared in various legal documents and records, with spellings such as "Stephes," "Steppis," and "Steppas." This variation in spelling was common during this time due to the lack of standardized orthography.
One notable individual bearing this surname was Sir John Stephas, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III in the Hundred Years' War against France during the 14th century. He was born around 1310 and served as a commander of English forces in several battles, including the Battle of Crécy in 1346.
Another prominent figure was Elizabeth Stephas, a wealthy merchant and landowner from Bristol, England, who lived in the late 15th century. She was known for her philanthropic efforts and contributed to the construction of several churches and almshouses in the city.
In the 16th century, the surname "STEPHAS" was found in various parish records and census rolls across England, particularly in the counties of Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, and Somerset. One such individual was Thomas Stephas, a farmer born in 1524 in the village of Wootton, Lincolnshire.
During the 17th century, the name spread to other parts of the British Isles, including Scotland and Ireland. One notable Scottish bearer of the name was Alexander Stephas, a philosopher and educator born in 1635 in Edinburgh. He was renowned for his writings on ethics and moral philosophy.
In the 18th century, the surname "STEPHAS" crossed the Atlantic and began to appear in colonial records in North America. John Stephas, born in 1712 in Virginia, was a prominent landowner and politician who served in the House of Burgesses, the legislative body of the Virginia Colony.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the surname "STEPHAS" throughout history, demonstrating its rich legacy and connection to various regions and notable figures across different eras.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Stephas
Among Census respondents with the surname Stephas, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Hispanic (4.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Stephas 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 Stephas surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.2% · 105
- Two or more races5.9% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Stephas
Stephas appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+13 bearers (+12.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 10,981 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+12.3%) | Up 10,981 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 Stephas 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 | #153,769 | #142,788 | 7.1% |
| Count | 106 | 119 | 12.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Stephas bearers went from 106 to 119 (+12.3% change). The surname moved up 10,981 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #142,788.
FAQ
Stephas surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Stephas?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Stephas. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Stephas?
Stephas ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Stephas. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Stephas.
Has Stephas become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Stephas went from 106 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 13 (+12.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Stephas?
Among Census respondents with the surname Stephas, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Hispanic (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 Stephas in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.2% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Stephas appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.2%), Two or More Races (5.9%), Hispanic (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 Stephas (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 Stephas mean?
A Greek surname derived from the word "Stephanos" meaning "crown" or "garland". 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 Stephas (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 Americans have the surname Stephas?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.