2000
#28,648
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 783
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.29
Rare Last name
Stones
An English surname derived from the Old English "stan" meaning stone, possibly denoting an association with stone quarrying or masonry.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,118 Americans carry the last name Stones. That puts it at #26,376 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.33 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 306,578 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Stones 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 Stones with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
1.1K
1 in 306,578
Census rank
#26,376
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
975
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 975 bearers of the surname Stones in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.33 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 26376th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Stones, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.6%. The next largest groups are Black (19.3%) and Hispanic (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Stones
The surname Stones is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "stan" or "ston", meaning stone or rock. This was likely an occupational name for someone who worked with stone, such as a stonemason or quarryman.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are several entries for people with the surname Stones, such as Robertus de la Stane in Oxfordshire and Willelmus de Stanes in Norfolk. These early spellings suggest that the name may have originated from various place names containing the word "stone" or "stones".
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Stones is that of William de la Stone, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1208. Another early record is of John atte Stone, listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327.
Some notable individuals with the surname Stones throughout history include John Stones (1594-1647), an English clergyman and writer who served as the Rector of Wickham in Berkshire. Another notable figure was Sir John Stones (1672-1743), an English merchant and Member of Parliament for Hastings.
In the 17th century, the Stones family was prominent in the town of Streethay, Staffordshire. One member, William Stones (1661-1753), was a wealthy landowner and benefactor who left a substantial endowment for the education of children in the town.
During the 18th century, the surname Stones was also found in Scotland, where John Stones (1715-1788) was a renowned architect and builder who designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh.
Another notable bearer of the surname was George Stones (1786-1863), an English engraver and artist who was renowned for his intricate illustrations of architectural subjects.
Overall, the surname Stones has a long and rich history, with its roots firmly planted in the English language and various occupations and places associated with the word "stone".
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Stones
Among Census respondents with the surname Stones, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.6%. The next largest groups are Black (19.3%) and Hispanic (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Stones 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 Stones surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White72.6% · 708
- Black or African American19.3% · 188
- Hispanic or Latino4.4% · 43
- Two or more races2.3% · 22
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 8
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Stones
Stones 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
#33,499
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 681
-102 bearers (-13.0%)
Per 100,000 0.23
Rank movement Down 4,851 places
2020
#26,376
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 975
+294 bearers (+43.2%)
Per 100,000 0.33
Rank movement Up 7,123 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #28,648 | 783 | 0.29 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #33,499 | 681 | 0.23 | -102 bearers (-13.0%) | Down 4,851 places |
| 2020 | #26,376 | 975 | 0.33 | +294 bearers (+43.2%) | Up 7,123 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 Stones 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 | #33,499 | #26,376 | 21.3% |
| Count | 681 | 975 | 43.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.23 | 0.33 | 41.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Stones bearers went from 681 to 975 (+43.2% change). The surname moved up 7,123 positions in the national ranking, going from #33,499 to #26,376.
FAQ
Stones surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Stones?
Name Census estimates that about 1,118 living Americans carry the surname Stones. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 306,578 residents.
How common is Stones?
Stones ranks #26,376 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.33 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 975 people with the surname Stones. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.33 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.33 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 Stones.
Has Stones become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Stones went from 681 recorded bearers to 975. That is an increase of 294 (+43.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #33,499 to #26,376.
What does the Census say about the background of Stones?
Among Census respondents with the surname Stones, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.6%. The next largest groups are Black (19.3%) and Hispanic (4.4%). 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 Stones in the 2020 Census, accounting for 72.6% (708 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Stones appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (72.6%), Black (19.3%), Hispanic (4.4%). 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 Stones (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 Stones mean?
An English surname derived from the Old English "stan" meaning stone, possibly denoting an association with stone quarrying or masonry. 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 Stones (0.33 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 surname Stones?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.