2000
#2,280
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 14,602
First available Census row
Per 100,000 5.41
Uncommon Last name
Vann
A toponymic surname derived from places in England meaning "at the fen" or "from the marsh."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 16,878 Americans carry the last name Vann. That puts it at #2,413 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.92 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 20,308 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Vann 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 Vann with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
17K
1 in 20,308
Census rank
#2,413
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
15K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 14,718 bearers of the surname Vann in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.92 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2413th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Vann, the largest self-reported group is White at 49.1%. The next largest groups are Black (30.6%) and Two or More Races (7.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Vann
The surname Vann has its origins in England and Wales, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "fenn," which means "fen" or "marsh." This suggests that the name was likely borne by individuals who lived near or worked in marshy areas.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Vann can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror. The book mentions individuals with the surname Vann, or similar spellings such as "de la Vanne" or "atte Vanne," residing in various counties across England.
The name Vann has also been associated with place names, such as Vann in Somerset, which was recorded as "Fenna" in the Domesday Book. This connection to specific locations further reinforces the theory that the name originated from geographical features.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the surname Vann. One example is William Vann (1676-1711), an English clergyman and author who served as a chaplain in the Royal Navy. Another is John Vann (1772-1836), an American pioneer and soldier who played a role in the early settlement of Texas.
In the literary realm, David Vann (born 1966) is a notable American author and professor, known for his critically acclaimed works such as "Legend of a Suicide" and "Caribou Island."
The name Vann has also been prominent in the world of sports. Trevon Vann (born 1998) is an American football defensive back who currently plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the National Football League (NFL). Additionally, William Vann (born 1957) is a former American football linebacker who played for the Baltimore Colts in the NFL during the 1980s.
Another historical figure of note is John Vann (1924-1972), a highly decorated United States Army officer who served in the Vietnam War and was known for his criticism of the military strategy employed by the American forces.
While the surname Vann has its roots in England and Wales, it has spread to various parts of the world through migration and diaspora. The name has maintained its presence across generations, carrying with it a rich history and connections to geographical locations and notable individuals.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Vann
Among Census respondents with the surname Vann, the largest self-reported group is White at 49.1%. The next largest groups are Black (30.6%) and Two or More Races (7.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Vann 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 Vann surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White49.1% · 7,222
- Black or African American30.6% · 4,510
- Two or more races7.1% · 1,051
- Asian and Pacific Islander6.1% · 899
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 566
- American Indian and Alaska Native3.2% · 470
Timeline
Historical Census data for Vann
Vann 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
#2,366
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 15,416
+814 bearers (+5.6%)
Per 100,000 5.23
Rank movement Down 86 places
2020
#2,413
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 14,718
-698 bearers (-4.5%)
Per 100,000 4.92
Rank movement Down 47 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,280 | 14,602 | 5.41 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,366 | 15,416 | 5.23 | +814 bearers (+5.6%) | Down 86 places |
| 2020 | #2,413 | 14,718 | 4.92 | -698 bearers (-4.5%) | Down 47 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 Vann 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 | #2,366 | #2,413 | -2.0% |
| Count | 15,416 | 14,718 | -4.5% |
| Per 100K | 5.23 | 4.92 | -5.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Vann bearers went from 15,416 to 14,718 (-4.5% change). The surname moved down 47 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,366 to #2,413.
FAQ
Vann surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Vann?
Name Census estimates that about 16,878 living Americans carry the surname Vann. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 20,308 residents.
How common is Vann?
Vann ranks #2,413 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.92 per 100,000 residents, which is about 5 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 14,718 people with the surname Vann. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (16,878), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.92 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.92 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 5 of them to have the surname Vann.
Has Vann become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Vann went from 15,416 recorded bearers to 14,718. That is a decrease of 698 (-4.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,366 to #2,413.
What does the Census say about the background of Vann?
Among Census respondents with the surname Vann, the largest self-reported group is White at 49.1%. The next largest groups are Black (30.6%) and Two or More Races (7.1%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Vann in the 2020 Census, accounting for 49.1% (7,222 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Vann appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (49.1%), Black (30.6%), Two or More Races (7.1%). 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 Vann (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 Vann mean?
A toponymic surname derived from places in England meaning "at the fen" or "from the marsh." 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 Vann (4.92 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 have the last name Vann?
You can see how many people are called Vann on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.