2000
#75,938
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 236
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.09
Very Rare Last name
Xanders
A surname derived from the Greek name "Alexander", meaning "defender of men".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 273 Americans carry the last name Xanders. That puts it at #84,785 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,255,510 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Xanders 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
273
1 in 1,255,510
Census rank
#84,785
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
238
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 238 bearers of the surname Xanders in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 84785th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Xanders, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Black (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Xanders
The surname Xanders is primarily of Dutch origin, dating back to the late medieval period. It can be traced to the Low Countries, specifically present-day Netherlands and parts of Belgium. The name is derived from the given name Sander, a diminutive form of Alexander. Alexander itself has Greek roots, originating from the name Alexandros, which means "defender of the people."
Historical references to the surname Xanders are sparse, but they exist. Early records can be found in parish registers and civil records from the 16th century. One notable appearance of the surname is in a 1573 church record from Utrecht, detailing the marriage of Pieter Xanders and Anna van der Meer. Manuscripts from the period often vary the spelling, listing the name as Xander, Xanders, and sometimes even Zander, reflecting the fluidity of orthography in that era.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname is a birth record from 1589 in Amsterdam, mentioning Jan Xanders, son of Hendrik Xanders. It indicates the family was established in the region, likely involved in trade or crafts, common occupations in the bustling mercantile city of Amsterdam during the Dutch Golden Age.
Through the centuries, members of the Xanders family have made their mark in various fields. By the 17th century, Matthias Xanders (1634-1691) became a well-known merchant, trading goods between Amsterdam and the Baltic States. His business ventures greatly contributed to the economic standing of the family. Later, in the 18th century, Willem Xanders (1721-1784) became a noted painter, whose works still reside in several Dutch museums today.
The 19th century saw further dispersion of the Xanders surname as European emigration patterns brought the name to new continents. For instance, Cornelis Xanders (1802-1865) emigrated to the United States in 1854, establishing a successful farming enterprise in Pennsylvania. His descendants spread throughout the American Midwest, furthering the reach of the surname.
Another notable historical figure is Anna Maria Xanders (1850-1922), a prolific writer and social activist in Germany. Her contributions to women's rights and her numerous published works on social issues garnered her significant recognition in Europe.
In summary, the surname Xanders is rich in history, reflecting the diverse undertakings of those who bore it. Originating from the Dutch adaptation of the name Alexander, Xanders has been associated with trade, art, and social activism throughout the centuries. Its bearers have left indelible marks on the regions they lived in, making the surname a testament to their varied contributions to society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Xanders
Among Census respondents with the surname Xanders, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Black (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Xanders 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 Xanders surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.4% · 220
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 9
- Black or African American1.7% · 4
- Two or more races1.7% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Xanders
Xanders 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
#85,659
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 218
-18 bearers (-7.6%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Down 9,721 places
2020
#84,785
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 238
+20 bearers (+9.2%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Up 874 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #75,938 | 236 | 0.09 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #85,659 | 218 | 0.07 | -18 bearers (-7.6%) | Down 9,721 places |
| 2020 | #84,785 | 238 | 0.08 | +20 bearers (+9.2%) | Up 874 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 Xanders 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 | #85,659 | #84,785 | 1.0% |
| Count | 218 | 238 | 9.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.07 | 0.08 | 13.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Xanders bearers went from 218 to 238 (+9.2% change). The surname moved up 874 positions in the national ranking, going from #85,659 to #84,785.
FAQ
Xanders surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Xanders?
Name Census estimates that about 273 living Americans carry the surname Xanders. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,255,510 residents.
How common is Xanders?
Xanders ranks #84,785 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.08 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 238 people with the surname Xanders. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (273), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.08 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 Xanders.
Has Xanders become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Xanders went from 218 recorded bearers to 238. That is an increase of 20 (+9.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #85,659 to #84,785.
What does the Census say about the background of Xanders?
Among Census respondents with the surname Xanders, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Black (1.7%). 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 Xanders in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.4% (220 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Xanders appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.4%), Hispanic (3.8%), Black (1.7%). 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 Xanders (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 Xanders mean?
A surname derived from the Greek name "Alexander", meaning "defender of men". 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 Xanders (0.08 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 Xanders?
You can see how common the surname Xanders is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.