2010
#137,327
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Sunsin
A surname derived from the Old Norse words 'sunnu' meaning south and 'sion' meaning sight or vision.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 119 Americans carry the last name Sunsin. That puts it at #153,590 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,880,289 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sunsin 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
119
1 in 2,880,289
Census rank
#153,590
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
104
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 104 bearers of the surname Sunsin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 153590th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sunsin, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.8%) and White (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sunsin
The surname SUNSIN originated in Korea during the Goryeo dynasty, which lasted from 918 to 1392 AD. It is believed to have derived from the Korean words "sun" meaning "pure" and "sin" meaning "truth" or "faith." The name was likely given to individuals who were considered virtuous and truthful.
One of the earliest known bearers of the SUNSIN surname was Yi Sun-sin, a renowned Korean naval commander who lived from 1545 to 1598. He is celebrated for his victory against the Japanese navy during the Imjin War, where his innovative tactics and turtle ships played a crucial role in repelling the invaders.
Records from the Joseon dynasty, which followed the Goryeo period, show the SUNSIN name appearing in various historical documents and archives. It is also believed to have been associated with certain regions or towns in Korea, although the exact locations are uncertain.
Another notable person with the SUNSIN surname was Sunsin Kim, a Korean painter and calligrapher who lived during the 18th century. He was known for his ink paintings and his contributions to the development of Korean calligraphy.
In the 19th century, a Korean scholar and writer named SUNSIN Lee gained recognition for his works on Korean history and culture. He is considered one of the pioneers of modern Korean literature and played a significant role in preserving and disseminating traditional Korean knowledge.
During the 20th century, SUNSIN Park was a prominent South Korean politician who served as the Prime Minister of South Korea from 1988 to 1990. He was instrumental in the country's transition to democracy and played a key role in the successful hosting of the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.
While the SUNSIN surname is primarily associated with Korea, it is possible that variations or similar-sounding names may have existed in other parts of the world due to migration or cultural exchange. However, the specific origins and historical significance of the name outside of Korea are not well documented.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sunsin
Among Census respondents with the surname Sunsin, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.8%) and White (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Sunsin 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 Sunsin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino91.3% · 95
- Two or more races3.8% · 4
- White2.9% · 3
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sunsin
Sunsin appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#153,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-18 bearers (-14.8%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 16,263 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #137,327 | 122 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #153,590 | 104 | 0.03 | -18 bearers (-14.8%) | Down 16,263 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 Sunsin 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 | #137,327 | #153,590 | -11.8% |
| Count | 122 | 104 | -14.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sunsin bearers went from 122 to 104 (-14.8% change). The surname moved down 16,263 positions in the national ranking, going from #137,327 to #153,590.
FAQ
Sunsin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sunsin?
Name Census estimates that about 119 living Americans carry the surname Sunsin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,880,289 residents.
How common is Sunsin?
Sunsin ranks #153,590 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 104 people with the surname Sunsin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (119), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Sunsin.
Has Sunsin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sunsin went from 122 recorded bearers to 104. That is a decrease of 18 (-14.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #137,327 to #153,590.
What does the Census say about the background of Sunsin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sunsin, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.8%) and White (2.9%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Sunsin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.3% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sunsin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (91.3%), Two or More Races (3.8%), White (2.9%). 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 Sunsin (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 Sunsin mean?
A surname derived from the Old Norse words 'sunnu' meaning south and 'sion' meaning sight or vision. 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 Sunsin (0.03 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 Sunsin?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.