Stevenson
Son of Steven or Stephen, a patronymic surname derived from the given name meaning "crowned" or "garland."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 87,334 Americans carry the last name Stevenson. That puts it at #432 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 25.48 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,925 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Stevenson surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
87K
1 in 3,925
Census rank
#432
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
25.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
75K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 75,169 bearers of the surname Stevenson in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 25.48 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 432nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Stevenson, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.4%. The next largest groups are Black (30.2%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Stevenson
The surname Stevenson originated in Scotland during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "stevene", which means "crown" or "garland". This suggests that the name may have been associated with someone who worked as a crowner or held a position of authority.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a series of parchments containing the names of Scottish landowners who swore fealty to Edward I of England. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Stevynson" and "Stephynson".
The name Stevenson is also closely tied to several place names in Scotland, such as Stevenston in Ayrshire and Stevenson in Haddingtonshire. These locations likely served as the ancestral homes of families bearing the surname.
Notable historical figures with the surname Stevenson include Robert Stevenson (1772-1850), a Scottish civil engineer and renowned lighthouse builder, and his son, Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894), the famous Scottish novelist and poet who wrote classics like "Treasure Island" and "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde".
Other notable individuals with the surname include Adlai E. Stevenson (1835-1914), an American politician who served as the 23rd Vice President of the United States, and Adlai E. Stevenson II (1900-1965), an American politician and diplomat who served as the 5th United States Ambassador to the United Nations.
Additionally, there is J.J. Stevenson (1832-1853), a Scottish-American surveyor and explorer who conducted extensive surveys of the American West, and Celia Stevenson (1825-1895), an English writer and philanthropist who established schools for the education of women in India.
The surname Stevenson has a rich history rooted in medieval Scotland and has been carried by notable individuals across various fields, from literature and engineering to politics and exploration.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Stevenson
Among Census respondents with the surname Stevenson, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.4%. The next largest groups are Black (30.2%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Stevenson bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Stevenson surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White63.4%
- Black or African American30.2%
- Hispanic or Latino2.7%
- Two or more races2.5%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Stevenson surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #395 | #432 | -9.4% |
| Count | 72,892 | 75,169 | 3.1% |
| Per 100K | 27.02 | 25.48 | -5.7% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Stevenson bearers went from 72,892 to 75,169 (+3.1% change). The surname moved down 37 positions in the national ranking, going from #395 to #432.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Stevenson
FAQ
Stevenson surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Stevenson?
The surname Stevenson holds position #432 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 87,334 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 25.48 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Stevenson surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Stevenson, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.4%. The next largest groups are Black (30.2%) and Hispanic (2.7%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.