2000
#37,266
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 563
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.21
Very Rare Last name
Union
A surname referring to the joining or uniting of two or more things.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 700 Americans carry the last name Union. That puts it at #38,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.20 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 489,649 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Union 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 Union with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
700
1 in 489,649
Census rank
#38,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
610
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 610 bearers of the surname Union in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.20 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 38989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Union, the largest self-reported group is Black at 56.7%. The next largest groups are White (31.6%) and Two or More Races (6.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Union
The surname UNION is of English origin and is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. It is thought to have derived from the Old French word "union," meaning "unity" or "union," which itself originated from the Latin word "unio."
The name was likely initially used as a descriptive term to refer to individuals who were associated with or involved in various forms of unions or alliances, such as trade guilds, religious orders, or even political alliances. It may have also been given to someone who was known for promoting unity or bringing people together.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the UNION surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a census-like record from 1273, where a person named Robert Union is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 13th century in England.
During the 16th century, the UNION surname appears in various records and documents across England. For example, in 1568, a certain John Union is listed in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Chelmsford, Essex. Another early bearer of the name was William Union, who was born in Gloucestershire in 1587 and later became a successful merchant in London.
One notable historical figure with the UNION surname was Thomas Union, a British naval officer and explorer who lived from 1781 to 1857. He participated in several voyages of exploration in the Pacific Ocean and is credited with discovering several islands in the region.
Another individual of note was Samuel Union (1828-1912), an English artist and illustrator known for his intricate engravings and woodcuts. His works were widely published in various books and magazines during the Victorian era.
In the 19th century, the UNION surname also gained prominence in the United States. One example is John Union (1813-1892), a prominent American businessman and entrepreneur who founded the Union Pacific Railroad Company, which played a crucial role in the development of the transcontinental railroad system in the United States.
While the UNION surname is not among the most common in English-speaking countries, it has a rich history dating back several centuries and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including explorers, artists, and business leaders.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Union
Among Census respondents with the surname Union, the largest self-reported group is Black at 56.7%. The next largest groups are White (31.6%) and Two or More Races (6.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Union 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 Union surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American56.7% · 346
- White31.6% · 193
- Two or more races6.1% · 37
- Hispanic or Latino4.4% · 27
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Union
Union 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
#37,591
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 592
+29 bearers (+5.2%)
Per 100,000 0.20
Rank movement Down 325 places
2020
#38,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 610
+18 bearers (+3.0%)
Per 100,000 0.20
Rank movement Down 1,398 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #37,266 | 563 | 0.21 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #37,591 | 592 | 0.20 | +29 bearers (+5.2%) | Down 325 places |
| 2020 | #38,989 | 610 | 0.20 | +18 bearers (+3.0%) | Down 1,398 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 Union 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 | #37,591 | #38,989 | -3.7% |
| Count | 592 | 610 | 3.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.20 | 0.20 | 2.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Union bearers went from 592 to 610 (+3.0% change). The surname moved down 1,398 positions in the national ranking, going from #37,591 to #38,989.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Union
FAQ
Union surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Union?
Name Census estimates that about 700 living Americans carry the surname Union. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 489,649 residents.
How common is Union?
Union ranks #38,989 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.20 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 610 people with the surname Union. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (700), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.2 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.20 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 Union.
Has Union become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Union went from 592 recorded bearers to 610. That is an increase of 18 (+3.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #37,591 to #38,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Union?
Among Census respondents with the surname Union, the largest self-reported group is Black at 56.7%. The next largest groups are White (31.6%) and Two or More Races (6.1%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Union in the 2020 Census, accounting for 56.7% (346 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Union appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (56.7%), White (31.6%), Two or More Races (6.1%). 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 Union (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 Union mean?
A surname referring to the joining or uniting of two or more things. 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 Union (0.20 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 Union?
You can see how many people are called Union on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.