2000
#24,857
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 940
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.35
Rare Last name
Surman
An English surname referring to a person from the town of Sour/Sower.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,002 Americans carry the last name Surman. That puts it at #28,926 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.29 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 342,070 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Surman 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 Surman with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
1.0K
1 in 342,070
Census rank
#28,926
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
874
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 874 bearers of the surname Surman in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.29 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 28926th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Surman, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.7%. The next largest groups are Black (4.7%) and Hispanic (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Surman
The surname Surman is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational surname, derived from a place name such as Surman's Farm or Surman's Land. The prefix 'Sur' may have been derived from the Old English word 'sur,' meaning sour or bitter, potentially referring to a particular type of soil or crop.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Surman can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Hampshire from 1230, where a person named William Surman is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already established in southern England by the 13th century.
Another early reference to the surname appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327, which list a John Surman as a taxpayer. This document provides evidence of the Surman family's presence in the region during the early 14th century.
In the 16th century, the Surman surname is documented in the parish records of St. Martin's Church in Birmingham, West Midlands. A notable entry from 1582 records the baptism of a child named Anne Surman, daughter of John and Elizabeth Surman.
During the 17th century, the Surman surname gained prominence in various parts of England. One notable figure was Sir Robert Surman (1619-1692), an English merchant and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Maldon in Essex from 1661 to 1681.
In the 18th century, the Surman family continued to thrive, with several individuals achieving notable positions. John Surman (1722-1795) was an English clergyman who served as the Rector of Wanstead in Essex from 1766 until his death.
Another prominent figure was Richard Surman (1765-1847), an English engraver and painter known for his intricate topographical engravings and portraits. His works were highly regarded during the Georgian era.
In the 19th century, the Surman surname was well-established across various regions of England. One notable individual was Thomas Surman (1825-1898), a British businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of the city of Bath.
Throughout its history, the Surman surname has been associated with various locations and families across England, reflecting its locational origins and the migration patterns of those who bore the name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Surman
Among Census respondents with the surname Surman, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.7%. The next largest groups are Black (4.7%) and Hispanic (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Surman 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 Surman surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.7% · 784
- Black or African American4.7% · 41
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 25
- Two or more races2.1% · 18
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Surman
Surman 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
#29,822
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 788
-152 bearers (-16.2%)
Per 100,000 0.27
Rank movement Down 4,965 places
2020
#28,926
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 874
+86 bearers (+10.9%)
Per 100,000 0.29
Rank movement Up 896 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #24,857 | 940 | 0.35 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #29,822 | 788 | 0.27 | -152 bearers (-16.2%) | Down 4,965 places |
| 2020 | #28,926 | 874 | 0.29 | +86 bearers (+10.9%) | Up 896 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 Surman 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 | #29,822 | #28,926 | 3.0% |
| Count | 788 | 874 | 10.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.27 | 0.29 | 8.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Surman bearers went from 788 to 874 (+10.9% change). The surname moved up 896 positions in the national ranking, going from #29,822 to #28,926.
FAQ
Surman surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Surman?
Name Census estimates that about 1,002 living Americans carry the surname Surman. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 342,070 residents.
How common is Surman?
Surman ranks #28,926 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.29 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 874 people with the surname Surman. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,002), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.29 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.29 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 Surman.
Has Surman become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Surman went from 788 recorded bearers to 874. That is an increase of 86 (+10.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #29,822 to #28,926.
What does the Census say about the background of Surman?
Among Census respondents with the surname Surman, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.7%. The next largest groups are Black (4.7%) and Hispanic (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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Surman in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.7% (784 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Surman appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.7%), Black (4.7%), Hispanic (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 Surman (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 Surman mean?
An English surname referring to a person from the town of Sour/Sower. 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 Surman (0.29 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 Surman?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.