2000
#12,197
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,342
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.87
Rare Last name
Vansant
Derived from the Dutch surname "Van Zandt," indicating someone from the town of Zandt or a sandy place.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,589 Americans carry the last name Vansant. That puts it at #13,005 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.76 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 132,389 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Vansant 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
2.6K
1 in 132,389
Census rank
#13,005
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,258 bearers of the surname Vansant in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.76 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13005th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Vansant, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.1%) and Hispanic (4.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Vansant
The surname VANSANT originated in the Low Countries, which today comprise the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. The name is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, sometime between the 11th and 15th centuries. It is derived from the Dutch words "van" and "sant," meaning "from" and "sand," respectively. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a sandy area or came from a place with a sandy terrain.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the VANSANT surname can be found in the "Gouden Leeuw" (Golden Lion) manuscript, a Dutch heraldic document from the 15th century. This manuscript contains records of noble families and their coats of arms, including several entries for individuals with the VANSANT name.
In the 16th century, the VANSANT surname appeared in various historical records across the Low Countries. For instance, Jan VANSANT, a merchant from Antwerp, is mentioned in trade documents from the year 1562. Another notable figure was Pieter VANSANT, a skilled artisan who crafted intricate stained-glass windows for churches in Bruges and Ghent in the late 1500s.
During the 17th century, several members of the VANSANT family emigrated from the Netherlands to the New World, seeking economic opportunities and religious freedom. One of the earliest known settlers was Hendrick VANSANT, who arrived in New Amsterdam (present-day New York City) in 1638. He became a successful farmer and landowner in the Dutch colony.
In the 18th century, the VANSANT surname was well-established in various parts of the United States, particularly in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. One prominent figure was Johannes VANSANT (1727-1804), a Quaker preacher and abolitionist who actively campaigned against slavery.
Another notable individual was John VANSANT (1764-1839), a military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. He rose to the rank of Captain and played a crucial role in several battles against the British forces.
Throughout the 19th century, several VANSANT families settled in the Midwestern states, contributing to the westward expansion of the United States. One such individual was William VANSANT (1811-1892), a pioneer farmer who established a homestead in Iowa and became a respected community leader.
While the VANSANT surname is not among the most common in the world, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and can be traced back to its origins in the Low Countries. The name has been carried by merchants, artisans, religious leaders, military officers, and pioneers, reflecting the diverse experiences and contributions of those who bear this surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Vansant
Among Census respondents with the surname Vansant, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.1%) and Hispanic (4.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Vansant 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 Vansant surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.2% · 1,968
- Two or more races5.1% · 115
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 94
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 40
- Black or African American1.5% · 33
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Vansant
Vansant 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
#13,101
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,340
-2 bearers (-0.1%)
Per 100,000 0.79
Rank movement Down 904 places
2020
#13,005
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,258
-82 bearers (-3.5%)
Per 100,000 0.76
Rank movement Up 96 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,197 | 2,342 | 0.87 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,101 | 2,340 | 0.79 | -2 bearers (-0.1%) | Down 904 places |
| 2020 | #13,005 | 2,258 | 0.76 | -82 bearers (-3.5%) | Up 96 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 Vansant 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 | #13,101 | #13,005 | 0.7% |
| Count | 2,340 | 2,258 | -3.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.79 | 0.76 | -4.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Vansant bearers went from 2,340 to 2,258 (-3.5% change). The surname moved up 96 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,101 to #13,005.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Vansant
FAQ
Vansant surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Vansant?
Name Census estimates that about 2,589 living Americans carry the surname Vansant. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 132,389 residents.
How common is Vansant?
Vansant ranks #13,005 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.76 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 2,258 people with the surname Vansant. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,589), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.76 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.76 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 Vansant.
Has Vansant become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Vansant went from 2,340 recorded bearers to 2,258. That is a decrease of 82 (-3.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #13,101 to #13,005.
What does the Census say about the background of Vansant?
Among Census respondents with the surname Vansant, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.1%) and Hispanic (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 Vansant in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.2% (1,968 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Vansant appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.2%), Two or More Races (5.1%), Hispanic (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 Vansant (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 Vansant mean?
Derived from the Dutch surname "Van Zandt," indicating someone from the town of Zandt or a sandy place. 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 Vansant (0.76 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 Vansant?
Want to know how many people are called Vansant? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.