2000
#137,816
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Styne
An English surname originating from the word "stein", meaning stone.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Styne. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Styne 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Styne in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Styne, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.6%. The next largest groups are Black (9.3%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Styne
The surname Styne has its origins in the German language, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. The name is believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "stein," meaning "stone" or "rock." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with someone who lived near a prominent stone structure or a rocky area.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Styne can be found in the parish records of the town of Wittenberg, in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. In 1568, a man named Hans Styne is documented as a resident of the town. This region was known for its rich history and cultural significance, being the birthplace of the Protestant Reformation led by Martin Luther.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name Styne began to appear in various parts of Germany, as well as in neighboring regions such as the Netherlands and Switzerland. The spelling variations included Stein, Steine, and Steyne, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal variations of the time.
In the 19th century, the name Styne gained prominence with the birth of the German-American composer and songwriter Harry Styne (1888-1971). Born in London, Styne's family had emigrated from Germany, and he went on to become a renowned figure in the American musical theater scene, collaborating with lyricists such as Sammy Cahn and Bob Merrill.
Another notable individual bearing the surname Styne was the British actor and writer Julian Styne (1924-2003). Born in London, Styne had a successful career in theater and television, appearing in numerous productions and penning several plays and screenplays.
In the realm of art, the name Styne is associated with the American artist and sculptor Robert Styne (1904-1983). Born in New York City, Styne's works were exhibited in prestigious galleries and museums across the United States, and he is remembered for his unique style and approach to sculpture.
The name Styne has also been linked to academic and scientific fields. One such individual was the German mathematician and physicist Georg Styne (1826-1892), who made significant contributions to the study of mechanics and thermodynamics.
While the surname Styne is not as common as some other German surnames, it has left its mark across various fields and regions throughout history, reflecting the diverse and rich tapestry of German heritage and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Styne
Among Census respondents with the surname Styne, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.6%. The next largest groups are Black (9.3%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Styne 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 Styne surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.6% · 101
- Black or African American9.3% · 11
- Two or more races3.4% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Styne
Styne 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
#127,494
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 134
+22 bearers (+19.6%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 10,322 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-16 bearers (-11.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 16,017 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #137,816 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #127,494 | 134 | 0.05 | +22 bearers (+19.6%) | Up 10,322 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -16 bearers (-11.9%) | Down 16,017 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 Styne 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 | #127,494 | #143,511 | -12.6% |
| Count | 134 | 118 | -11.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -21.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Styne bearers went from 134 to 118 (-11.9% change). The surname moved down 16,017 positions in the national ranking, going from #127,494 to #143,511.
FAQ
Styne surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Styne?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Styne. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Styne?
Styne ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Styne. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Styne.
Has Styne become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Styne went from 134 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 16 (-11.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #127,494 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Styne?
Among Census respondents with the surname Styne, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.6%. The next largest groups are Black (9.3%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Styne in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.6% (101 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Styne appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.6%), Black (9.3%), Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Styne (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 Styne mean?
An English surname originating from the word "stein", meaning stone. 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 Styne (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 common is the surname Styne?
Want to know how many people have the last name Styne? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.