Explore the Family Name St. James
The meaning of St. James
Americanized form of French Saint-Jacques (see St. Jacques). This surname is also found among African Americans. History: Bearers of the surname St. James are in most cases descendants of Jacques-Joseph Cheval dit Saint-Jacques from Belgium (see St. Jacques). Some characteristic forenames: French Fernand, Jean Marie, Lucien, Michel, Normand, Pierre.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name St. James in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname St. James has seen a slight increase in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, the surname was ranked 23,300th and by 2010, it had moved up to 23,205th — indicating a subtle rise of approximately 0.41%. The count of people with this surname also rose during the same period, from 1,020 in 2000 to 1,099 in 2010, marking a growth rate of 7.75%. However, when looking at the proportion per 100,000 people, the popularity of the St. James surname decreased slightly by 2.63%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #23,300 | #23,205 | 0.41% |
| Count | 1,020 | 1,099 | 7.75% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.38 | 0.37 | -2.63% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name St. James
Delving into the ethnicity associated with the surname St. James, data obtained from the Decennial U.S. Census shows some interesting trends between 2000 and 2010. The majority of people with the St. James surname identified as White, making up 76.16% in 2010, down slightly from 77.06% in 2000. The next most common ethnic identity associated with the surname was Black, accounting for 14.38% in 2010, a decrease from 15.10% in 2000. Notably, there was a significant increase in the percentage of individuals who identify as Hispanic, rising from 3.33% in 2000 to 5.19% in 2010. There were also small percentages that identified as Asian/Pacific Islander (1.36%) and American Indian and Alaskan Native (0.45%) in 2010, where no such data was available or recorded in 2000. Those identifying as two or more races with this surname dropped from 3.04% to 2.46% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 77.06% | 76.16% | -1.17% |
| Black | 15.1% | 14.38% | -4.77% |
| Hispanic | 3.33% | 5.19% | 55.86% |
| Two or More Races | 3.04% | 2.46% | -19.08% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 1.36% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.45% | 0% |