2000
#9,307
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,219
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.19
Rare Last name
Suttle
A variant of the English surname Suttle, derived from the Old English word "subtil," meaning cunning or shrewd.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,475 Americans carry the last name Suttle. That puts it at #10,138 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.01 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 98,634 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Suttle 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 Suttle with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.5K
1 in 98,634
Census rank
#10,138
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,030 bearers of the surname Suttle in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.01 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10138th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Suttle, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.3%. The next largest groups are Black (19.4%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Suttle
The surname Suttle is believed to have originated in the British Isles, specifically in England and Scotland, during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "sutol," meaning "crafty" or "cunning." This suggests that the name may have initially been a nickname given to someone perceived as particularly clever or resourceful.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Sudele" in various spellings, referring to individuals residing in various regions of England at the time. The name's evolution from "Sudele" to its modern form of "Suttle" is believed to have occurred gradually over the centuries through variations in pronunciation and spelling.
In Scotland, the Suttle surname can be traced back to the 13th century, with records indicating its presence in the Borders region. It is possible that the name may have originated independently in Scotland, potentially derived from a different source, such as a place name or a descriptive term related to a particular occupation or characteristic.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Suttle surname. One example is John Suttle, a prominent English merchant and politician who lived in the 16th century (c. 1530-1595). He served as a Member of Parliament and played a significant role in the expansion of English trade and commerce during the Elizabethan era.
Another historical figure was William Suttle (1770-1836), a British naval officer who distinguished himself during the Napoleonic Wars. He achieved the rank of Rear Admiral and was commended for his bravery and leadership in several naval engagements.
In the realm of literature, one notable bearer of the Suttle surname was Thomas Suttle (1820-1894), an English poet and essayist known for his works exploring themes of nature and spirituality. His poetic works, such as "Lyrics of the Dawn," gained critical acclaim during the Victorian era.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Suttle surname in North America dates back to the 17th century, with records indicating the arrival of James Suttle, an English immigrant who settled in Virginia in 1635. This early presence of the name in the American colonies suggests that the Suttle family lineage has deep roots in the United States.
Another figure of historical significance was Sarah Suttle (1832-1911), an American educator and activist from New York. She was a prominent advocate for women's rights and played a pivotal role in the establishment of educational institutions for women during the late 19th century.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Suttle
Among Census respondents with the surname Suttle, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.3%. The next largest groups are Black (19.4%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Suttle 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 Suttle surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White70.3% · 2,129
- Black or African American19.4% · 587
- Two or more races4.2% · 126
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 102
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.3% · 71
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 15
Timeline
Historical Census data for Suttle
Suttle 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
#9,730
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,333
+114 bearers (+3.5%)
Per 100,000 1.13
Rank movement Down 423 places
2020
#10,138
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,030
-303 bearers (-9.1%)
Per 100,000 1.01
Rank movement Down 408 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,307 | 3,219 | 1.19 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,730 | 3,333 | 1.13 | +114 bearers (+3.5%) | Down 423 places |
| 2020 | #10,138 | 3,030 | 1.01 | -303 bearers (-9.1%) | Down 408 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 Suttle 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 | #9,730 | #10,138 | -4.2% |
| Count | 3,333 | 3,030 | -9.1% |
| Per 100K | 1.13 | 1.01 | -10.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Suttle bearers went from 3,333 to 3,030 (-9.1% change). The surname moved down 408 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,730 to #10,138.
FAQ
Suttle surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Suttle?
Name Census estimates that about 3,475 living Americans carry the surname Suttle. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 98,634 residents.
How common is Suttle?
Suttle ranks #10,138 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.01 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,030 people with the surname Suttle. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,475), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.01 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.01 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Suttle.
Has Suttle become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Suttle went from 3,333 recorded bearers to 3,030. That is a decrease of 303 (-9.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,730 to #10,138.
What does the Census say about the background of Suttle?
Among Census respondents with the surname Suttle, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.3%. The next largest groups are Black (19.4%) and Two or More Races (4.2%). 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 Suttle in the 2020 Census, accounting for 70.3% (2,129 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Suttle appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (70.3%), Black (19.4%), Two or More Races (4.2%). 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 Suttle (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 Suttle mean?
A variant of the English surname Suttle, derived from the Old English word "subtil," meaning cunning or shrewd. 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 Suttle (1.01 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 are called Suttle?
Find out how many people have the last name Suttle on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.