2000
#2,307
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 14,364
First available Census row
Per 100,000 5.32
Uncommon Last name
Marion
A French surname derived from the given name Marion, a diminutive of Marie, meaning "beloved" or "wished-for child."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 15,773 Americans carry the last name Marion. That puts it at #2,562 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.60 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 21,730 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Marion surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Marion with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
16K
1 in 21,730
Census rank
#2,562
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
14K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 13,755 bearers of the surname Marion in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.60 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2562nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Marion, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.9%. The next largest groups are Black (22.2%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Marion
The surname Marion originated in France, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the given name "Marion," which itself stems from the Latin word "Marianus," meaning "of the sea" or "marine." The name was initially associated with coastal regions of France, particularly in Normandy.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Marion can be traced back to the 12th century. It appears in several medieval French manuscripts and records, including the Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de Saint-Bertin, a cartulary from the Abbey of Saint-Bertin in Saint-Omer, dating from around 1150. This document mentions individuals with the surname Marion, indicating its presence in the region at that time.
During the Middle Ages, the surname Marion was also found in other parts of France, including the Île-de-France region and the Loire Valley. It is believed that the name spread from its Normandy origins as people migrated and settled in different areas.
One notable historical figure with the surname Marion was Jean Marion, a French composer and musician who lived in the 16th century (c. 1540-1600). He was a renowned lutenist and composer of lute music during the Renaissance period.
Another prominent individual with this surname was Francis Marion (1732-1795), a military officer and revolutionary patriot from South Carolina. He played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War and is often referred to as the "Swamp Fox" for his guerrilla tactics and successful campaigns against British forces.
In the 19th century, the surname Marion was associated with several influential figures. François Marion (1776-1855) was a French military engineer and architect who designed fortifications and public buildings throughout France and Europe.
Albert Marion (1854-1925) was a French physician and neurologist who made significant contributions to the study of neurology and the understanding of neurological disorders.
Additionally, Maximilian Marion (1889-1944) was a German actor and film director active during the early 20th century, known for his work in silent films and early talkies.
While the surname Marion has its roots in France, it has since spread globally and can be found in many different countries and cultures. However, its origins can be traced back to the coastal regions of Normandy and the historical significance it held during the Middle Ages and subsequent eras.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Marion
Among Census respondents with the surname Marion, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.9%. The next largest groups are Black (22.2%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Marion bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Marion surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White67.9% · 9,343
- Black or African American22.2% · 3,058
- Two or more races4.6% · 631
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 491
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 129
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 103
Timeline
Historical Census data for Marion
Marion appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#2,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 14,777
+413 bearers (+2.9%)
Per 100,000 5.01
Rank movement Down 139 places
2020
#2,562
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,755
-1,022 bearers (-6.9%)
Per 100,000 4.60
Rank movement Down 116 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,307 | 14,364 | 5.32 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,446 | 14,777 | 5.01 | +413 bearers (+2.9%) | Down 139 places |
| 2020 | #2,562 | 13,755 | 4.60 | -1,022 bearers (-6.9%) | Down 116 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Marion surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,446 | #2,562 | -4.7% |
| Count | 14,777 | 13,755 | -6.9% |
| Per 100K | 5.01 | 4.60 | -8.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Marion bearers went from 14,777 to 13,755 (-6.9% change). The surname moved down 116 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,446 to #2,562.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Marion
FAQ
Marion surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Marion?
Name Census estimates that about 15,773 living Americans carry the surname Marion. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 21,730 residents.
How common is Marion?
Marion ranks #2,562 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.60 per 100,000 residents, which is about 5 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 13,755 people with the surname Marion. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (15,773), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.6 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.60 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 5 of them to have the surname Marion.
Has Marion become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Marion went from 14,777 recorded bearers to 13,755. That is a decrease of 1,022 (-6.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,446 to #2,562.
What does the Census say about the background of Marion?
Among Census respondents with the surname Marion, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.9%. The next largest groups are Black (22.2%) and Two or More Races (4.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Marion in the 2020 Census, accounting for 67.9% (9,343 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Marion appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (67.9%), Black (22.2%), Two or More Races (4.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Marion (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Marion mean?
A French surname derived from the given name Marion, a diminutive of Marie, meaning "beloved" or "wished-for child." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Marion (4.60 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Marion?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.