2000
#126,400
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 125
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Stouter
An occupation surname referring to a person of stocky or robust build.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Stouter. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Stouter 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Stouter in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Stouter, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Stouter
The surname STOUTER is of Germanic origin, believed to have emerged in the 12th century in the regions of modern-day Germany and the Netherlands. It is derived from the Middle Low German word "stout," which means "brave" or "bold." This suggests that the name may have been initially attributed to someone who possessed these qualities or was known for their courageous nature.
One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Bremisches Urkundenbuch, a collection of historical documents from Bremen, Germany, dating back to the late 13th century. The name is recorded as "Stouther" in 1289, suggesting a possible variant spelling during that time period.
In the 14th century, the name STOUTER appeared in various Dutch records, such as the Oorkondenboek van Holland en Zeeland, which contains charters and documents from the regions of Holland and Zeeland. This indicates that the name had spread and become established in the Low Countries by that time.
One notable early bearer of the name was Jan STOUTER, a Dutch merchant and trader who lived in the 15th century. He was involved in the lucrative trade of spices and textiles between the Netherlands and various parts of Europe, contributing to the economic prosperity of the region.
In the 16th century, the name STOUTER gained recognition in England, perhaps brought over by Dutch or German immigrants. One example is Thomas STOUTER (1545-1617), an English landowner and farmer from Oxfordshire, who was known for his keen interest in agricultural practices and crop cultivation.
Another prominent figure was Willem STOUTER (1620-1678), a Dutch military officer who served in the Dutch East India Company. He was renowned for his bravery and leadership during various military campaigns in the Dutch East Indies (present-day Indonesia).
During the 17th century, the name STOUTER also appeared in historical records from the American colonies. One notable individual was Peter STOUTER (1640-1707), a Dutch settler who arrived in New Amsterdam (present-day New York City) and became a successful merchant and landowner in the Hudson Valley region.
In the 18th century, the name STOUTER continued to spread across Europe and the Americas. One notable bearer was Johann STOUTER (1735-1812), a German-born artist and engraver who settled in London, England, and became renowned for his intricate copper engravings and etchings.
The 19th century brought forth several individuals with the STOUTER surname who made significant contributions in various fields. One example is Charles STOUTER (1825-1891), an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Stouter
Among Census respondents with the surname Stouter, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Stouter 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 Stouter surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.3% · 110
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Stouter
Stouter 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
#129,047
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 132
+7 bearers (+5.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,647 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-19 bearers (-14.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 18,174 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #126,400 | 125 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #129,047 | 132 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+5.6%) | Down 2,647 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -19 bearers (-14.4%) | Down 18,174 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 Stouter 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 | #129,047 | #147,221 | -14.1% |
| Count | 132 | 113 | -14.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Stouter bearers went from 132 to 113 (-14.4% change). The surname moved down 18,174 positions in the national ranking, going from #129,047 to #147,221.
FAQ
Stouter surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Stouter?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Stouter. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Stouter?
Stouter ranks #147,221 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 113 people with the surname Stouter. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), 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 Stouter.
Has Stouter become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Stouter went from 132 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 19 (-14.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #129,047 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Stouter?
Among Census respondents with the surname Stouter, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). 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 Stouter in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.3% (110 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Stouter appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.3%), Hispanic (0.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). 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 Stouter (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 Stouter mean?
An occupation surname referring to a person of stocky or robust build. 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 Stouter (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 people have the surname Stouter?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.