Explore the Family Name Southey

The meaning of Southey

English: habitational name from any of several places called Southey, especially one in Culmstock (Devon), which is named with Middle English bi south ey ‘(place) to the south of the water’. Southey in Ecclesfield (Yorkshire) and Southey Green in Sible Hedingham (Essex) are from Middle English south hey ‘south enclosure’.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Southey in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Southey has seen a decline between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname was ranked at 123,314, but by 2010 it had fallen to 138,304, marking a decrease of 12.16 percent. The count of individuals bearing this surname also fell from 129 in 2000 to 121 in 2010, indicating a 6.2 percent drop. The proportion of Southey per 100,000 people declined by 20 percent over the course of the decade, further demonstrating its dwindling popularity.

	2000	2010	Change
Rank	#123,314	#138,304	-12.16%
Count	129	121	-6.2%
Proportion per 100k	0.05	0.04	-20%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Southey

When examining the ethnic identity associated with the surname Southey, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that there have been slight shifts between 2000 and 2010. The majority of individuals with this surname identify as White, although the percentage decreased slightly from 93.8 percent in 2000 to 90.91 percent in 2010. Meanwhile, the Hispanic representation within the Southey surname increased by 67.4 percent, inching up from 5.43 percent in 2000 to 9.09 percent in 2010. There were no changes observed in the Asian/Pacific Islander, two or more races, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native categories during this period.

	2000	2010	Change
White	93.8%	90.91%	-3.08%
Hispanic	5.43%	9.09%	67.4%
Asian/Pacific Islander	0%	0%	0%
Two or More Races	0%	0%	0%
Black	0%	0%	0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native	0%	0%	0%