2000
#2,781
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,929
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.42
Uncommon Last name
Still
An occupational surname referring to someone who operates a still for distilling alcohol.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 13,114 Americans carry the last name Still. That puts it at #3,061 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.83 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 26,137 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Still 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Still with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
13K
1 in 26,137
Census rank
#3,061
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
11K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 11,436 bearers of the surname Still in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.83 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3061st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Still, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.1%. The next largest groups are Black (13.6%) and Two or More Races (4.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Still
The surname STILL is of English origin, derived from the Old English word 'still', meaning 'quiet' or 'calm'. The name likely originated as a nickname for someone who was particularly quiet or reserved in nature. It first appeared in historical records in the 13th century, with early spellings including Stille, Stylle, and Styl.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which mentions a John le Stille. The Hundred Rolls were a series of administrative records compiled in England during the reign of King Edward I, providing valuable insights into the names and occupations of individuals at the time.
The STILL surname is also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, which include references to a William Stille and a Robert Stille. These rolls were tax records used to collect subsidies for the king, and they often provide a glimpse into the distribution of surnames across different regions.
In the 14th century, the name appears in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a John Styl is mentioned in 1315. These rolls documented legal proceedings and transactions within the manor, providing valuable information about the local population.
One notable individual bearing the STILL surname was John Still (c. 1543-1607), an English bishop and academic who served as the Bishop of Bath and Wells from 1592 until his death. He was a renowned theologian and a prominent figure in the Church of England during the Elizabethan era.
Another significant bearer of the name was Nathaniel Still (1786-1844), an American businessman and philanthropist from New Jersey. He was a successful merchant and banker, and he made substantial contributions to educational institutions, including the establishment of the Still Academy in his hometown of Woodbury.
In the literary world, Andrew Still (1563-1629) was an English writer and translator known for his works on navigational techniques and translations of various historical texts. His contributions helped popularize and disseminate knowledge in the fields of navigation and exploration.
The STILL surname has also been associated with place names in England, such as Stillington in Yorkshire and Stillingfleet in the East Riding of Yorkshire. These place names may have influenced the development and distribution of the surname in their respective regions.
Throughout history, the STILL surname has been borne by numerous individuals from various walks of life, including clergy, academics, businessmen, and writers, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments associated with this ancient English name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Still
Among Census respondents with the surname Still, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.1%. The next largest groups are Black (13.6%) and Two or More Races (4.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Still 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 Still surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White76.1% · 8,707
- Black or African American13.6% · 1,554
- Two or more races4.8% · 546
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 390
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.5% · 168
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 71
Timeline
Historical Census data for Still
Still 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
#2,904
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,354
+425 bearers (+3.6%)
Per 100,000 4.19
Rank movement Down 123 places
2020
#3,061
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,436
-918 bearers (-7.4%)
Per 100,000 3.83
Rank movement Down 157 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,781 | 11,929 | 4.42 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,904 | 12,354 | 4.19 | +425 bearers (+3.6%) | Down 123 places |
| 2020 | #3,061 | 11,436 | 3.83 | -918 bearers (-7.4%) | Down 157 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 Still 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 | #2,904 | #3,061 | -5.4% |
| Count | 12,354 | 11,436 | -7.4% |
| Per 100K | 4.19 | 3.83 | -8.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Still bearers went from 12,354 to 11,436 (-7.4% change). The surname moved down 157 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,904 to #3,061.
FAQ
Still surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Still?
Name Census estimates that about 13,114 living Americans carry the surname Still. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 26,137 residents.
How common is Still?
Still ranks #3,061 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.83 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 11,436 people with the surname Still. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (13,114), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.83 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.83 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Still.
Has Still become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Still went from 12,354 recorded bearers to 11,436. That is a decrease of 918 (-7.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,904 to #3,061.
What does the Census say about the background of Still?
Among Census respondents with the surname Still, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.1%. The next largest groups are Black (13.6%) and Two or More Races (4.8%). 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 Still in the 2020 Census, accounting for 76.1% (8,707 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Still appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (76.1%), Black (13.6%), Two or More Races (4.8%). 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 Still (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 Still mean?
An occupational surname referring to someone who operates a still for distilling alcohol. 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 Still (3.83 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 share the surname Still?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.