Explore the Family Name Susan
The meaning of Susan
1. English (London) and Dutch: from the female personal name Susanna, Susanne, from Hebrew Shushannah ‘lily, lily of the valley’. 2. Jewish (Sephardic): from the male personal name Susan, from Arabic and Persian susan ‘lily’, ultimately from Hebrew Shushannah (see 1 above). 3. Americanized form of Croatian Šušanj or Sušanj: nickname from sušanj, šušanj ‘dry leaves and brushwood, used as igniter’. 4. Slovak (Šušán): unexplained.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Susan in the United States?
The surname "Susan" has seen a decrease in popularity over the past decade, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, it held rank 30,061 among all last names, but by 2010, it had dropped to the 36,379th most popular surname, a decrease of about 21 percent. The total count of individuals with this surname also declined over these years, dropping from 736 to 615, marking a 16.44 percent decrease. This reduction is reflected in the proportion per 100k which fell from 0.27 to 0.21, a decrease of more than 22 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #30,061 | #36,379 | -21.02% |
| Count | 736 | 615 | -16.44% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.27 | 0.21 | -22.22% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Susan
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some shifts for the surname Susan between 2000 and 2010. The majority of individuals with this surname identified as White, increasing from 80.84% in 2000 to 84.23% in 2010. Meanwhile, those identifying as Black saw an increase from 2.72% to 3.25%. However, the number of Susan's identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander experienced a notable decline, falling from 4.89% to 3.25%. A similar trend was observed among those identifying with two or more races, where the percentage dropped from 2.58% to 1.14%. The percentage of individuals identifying as Hispanic also decreased, going from 4.35% to 3.41%, while the American Indian and Alaskan Native category witnessed a slight rise, from 4.62% to 4.72%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 80.84% | 84.23% | 4.19% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 4.62% | 4.72% | 2.16% |
| Hispanic | 4.35% | 3.41% | -21.61% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 4.89% | 3.25% | -33.54% |
| Black | 2.72% | 3.25% | 19.49% |
| Two or More Races | 2.58% | 1.14% | -55.81% |