2000
#128,797
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Synn
A surname possibly derived from an Old English word meaning "sin" or "wrongdoing".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Synn. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Synn 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
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Synn in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Synn, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 85.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.0%) and White (5.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Synn
The surname SYNN has its origins in England, tracing back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Middle English word "sinne," which was a variant spelling of the word "sin." This indicates that the name may have originated as a descriptive nickname, potentially referring to someone who was considered a sinner or had committed a sin.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname SYNN can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, which mentions a person named Willelmus Sinne. The surname also appears in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1285, where a John Synn is mentioned.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, variations of the surname emerged, such as Synne, Sinnere, and Sinner. These variations further strengthen the connection to the Middle English word "sinne" and its association with sinful behavior or occupation.
In the 15th century, the surname SYNN was also found in various records from different regions of England. For instance, in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1436, a Thomas Synn is listed, while in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk from 1524, a John Synn is recorded.
One notable individual bearing the surname SYNN was John Synn, born around 1460 in Gloucestershire, England. He was a merchant and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in 1491 and 1495.
Another individual of historical significance was Richard Synn, born in 1520 in Somerset, England. He was a prominent clergyman and served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Taunton from 1562 until his death in 1587.
In the 16th century, the surname SYNN was also found in certain place names, such as Synn's Farm in Kent, which was mentioned in a land survey conducted in 1578.
During the 17th century, a notable bearer of the surname was Thomas Synn, born in 1632 in Oxfordshire, England. He was a scholar and author who published several works on theology and philosophy.
Another individual of note was Elizabeth Synn, born in 1675 in Wiltshire, England. She was a renowned herbalist and midwife who authored a book titled "The Compleat Midwife's Companion" in 1705, which became a widely used reference work.
As the centuries progressed, the surname SYNN continued to be recorded in various parts of England, though it remained relatively uncommon compared to other surnames.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Synn
Among Census respondents with the surname Synn, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 85.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.0%) and White (5.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Synn 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 Synn surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander85.1% · 97
- Hispanic or Latino7.0% · 8
- White5.3% · 6
- Two or more races2.6% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Synn
Synn 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
#142,108
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
-5 bearers (-4.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 13,311 places
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
-3 bearers (-2.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,387 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #128,797 | 122 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #142,108 | 117 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.1%) | Down 13,311 places |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.6%) | Down 4,387 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 Synn 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 | #142,108 | #146,495 | -3.1% |
| Count | 117 | 114 | -2.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Synn bearers went from 117 to 114 (-2.6% change). The surname moved down 4,387 positions in the national ranking, going from #142,108 to #146,495.
FAQ
Synn surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Synn?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Synn. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Synn?
Synn ranks #146,495 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 114 people with the surname Synn. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), 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 Synn.
Has Synn become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Synn went from 117 recorded bearers to 114. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #142,108 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Synn?
Among Census respondents with the surname Synn, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 85.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.0%) and White (5.3%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Synn in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.1% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Synn appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (85.1%), Hispanic (7.0%), White (5.3%). 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 Synn (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 Synn mean?
A surname possibly derived from an Old English word meaning "sin" or "wrongdoing". 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 Synn (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 Americans have the surname Synn?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.