Explore the Family Name Steven
The meaning of Steven
Scottish, English, Dutch, and North German: from the personal name Steven, from Latin Stephanus, Greek Stephanos ‘crown’. This was a popular name throughout Christendom in the Middle Ages, having been borne by the first Christian martyr, stoned to death at Jerusalem three years after the death of Christ. In North America, this surname has also absorbed various cognates from other languages, e.g. German Steffen, German and Polish Stefan, Slovenian and Slovak Štefan, Hungarian István (see Istvan), and also their patronymics and other derivatives (see Stevens).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Steven in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname 'Steven' has seen a slight decline over the decade from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it ranked at 9,649 among all surnames and fell to 11,560 in 2010, marking a decrease of 19.81%. The number of people with this surname also decreased from 3,090 in 2000 to 2,719 in 2010, showing a drop of 12.01%. Consequently, its proportion per 100,000 people dropped by 20% over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,649 | #11,560 | -19.81% |
| Count | 3,090 | 2,719 | -12.01% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.15 | 0.92 | -20% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Steven
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some shifts in the ethnic identity of those carrying the 'Steven' surname. The percentage of Asian/Pacific Islanders and Hispanics with this surname increased by 70.19% and 57.26%, respectively, between 2000 and 2010. Meanwhile, the proportion of those identifying as Black or Two or more races decreased by 13.09% and 12.18% respectively in the same time frame. There was a small increase in the percentage of American Indians and Alaska Natives carrying the 'Steven' surname, from 2.01% in 2000 to 2.72% in 2010. The majority of people with this surname, however, continued to identify as White, although there was a slight decrease of 1.10% in this group.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 71.55% | 70.76% | -1.1% |
| Black | 19.64% | 17.07% | -13.09% |
| Hispanic | 3.79% | 5.96% | 57.26% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 2.01% | 2.72% | 35.32% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.04% | 1.77% | 70.19% |
| Two or More Races | 1.97% | 1.73% | -12.18% |