Find out how popular the last name Stimson is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Stimson.

Stimson, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Stimson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Stimson in America

Stimson is the 12204th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Stimson surname appeared 2,552 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Stimson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Stimson to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Stimson

The surname STIMSON originated in England, with roots dating back to the medieval period. One of the earliest recorded spellings is "Stivenson," found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1202. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English words "stifen" or "stiven," meaning "stiff" or "strong," combined with the suffix "-son," denoting "son of."

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Stevenson" and "Styvenson," in records from counties like Yorkshire and Northumberland. These variations reflect the influence of regional dialects and scribal errors common in that era.

In the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, a certain "Alexander Stevene" is mentioned, suggesting the name's presence in the area. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296 include the entry "William Stevene."

The surname STIMSON is considered a locational name, possibly originating from a now-lost place name or a person who hailed from a specific location. However, no definitive records have been found linking the name to a specific place.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname STIMSON was John Stimson, born around 1580 in Ipswich, Suffolk. He was a prominent merchant and landowner in the region.

Another notable figure was Sir Samuel Stimson (1619-1689), a British politician and member of Parliament for Southwark during the reign of King Charles II.

In the 18th century, Joseph Stimson (1718-1782) was a renowned clockmaker from Hertfordshire, known for his intricate timepieces adorned with enamel paintings.

The 19th century saw the birth of Henry Stimson (1832-1901), a prominent banker and philanthropist from New York City, who founded the Stimson Memorial Library in his hometown.

More recently, Henry L. Stimson (1867-1950) was an influential statesman who served as the United States Secretary of War under President William Howard Taft and later as the Secretary of State under President Herbert Hoover.

While the surname STIMSON has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through British colonization and migration patterns.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Stimson

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Stimson.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Stimson was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Stimson has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Stimson was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Stimson, please contact us.

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