Explore the Family Name Snowball
The meaning of Snowball
English (Durham and Northumberland): nickname for someone with a snow‐white patch of hair or a whitish bald spot amid dark hair, from Middle English snou, snow ‘snow’ + ball ‘white streak, bald place’. Snowbald, an early variant, may be evidence of the latter meaning, from Middle English balled ‘bald’, though the -d may be excrescent. Compare Bald, Ball 3.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Snowball in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Snowball has seen a slight increase in popularity over the decade from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, this surname was ranked 39,444th in terms of frequency, with 525 individuals carrying the name. By 2010, the rank had improved to 38,214 and the count rose to 580, a growth of 10.48%. The proportion of people with this surname per 100,000 also experienced an uptick, going from 0.19 to 0.2.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #39,444 | #38,214 | 3.12% |
| Count | 525 | 580 | 10.48% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.19 | 0.2 | 5.26% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Snowball
When it comes to the ethnic identity associated with the surname Snowball, there has been some change between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, the majority of individuals with this surname were White (70.29%), followed by American Indian and Alaskan Native (20.00%). By 2010, while these two groups remained dominant, their proportions decreased to 62.93% and 20.17% respectively. There was also a noticeable increase in the number of people identifying as Black or of Two or more races. However, no individuals identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, and the proportion of those identifying as Hispanic dropped to zero.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 70.29% | 62.93% | -10.47% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 20% | 20.17% | 0.85% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 6.21% | 0% |
| Black | 4% | 5.17% | 29.25% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Hispanic | 4.38% | 0% | 0% |