2000
#9,192
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,263
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.21
Rare Last name
Mask
An occupational surname for a person who made or sold masks or disguises.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,573 Americans carry the last name Mask. That puts it at #9,891 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 95,929 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mask 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.
Bearers in the US
3.6K
1 in 95,929
Census rank
#9,891
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,116 bearers of the surname Mask in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9891st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mask, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.3%. The next largest groups are Black (19.4%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mask
The surname MASK is believed to have originated in England, with the earliest known records dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "masc," which means "mesh" or "net," possibly indicating an occupation or trade related to fishing or net-making.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the MASK surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a John Mask residing in Oxfordshire. This document provides valuable insight into the distribution of surnames in medieval England.
In the 14th century, the MASK surname appears in various manorial records and court rolls across different regions of England, such as Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and Wiltshire. These records often provide clues about the occupations, property holdings, and legal matters involving individuals with this surname.
The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the MASK surname. However, it does mention several place names that may have influenced the development or adoption of this surname, such as Mascall in Kent and Maskbury in Wiltshire.
One notable individual with the MASK surname was Sir Edward Mask (1546-1612), a prominent English lawyer and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He served as a Justice of the Court of King's Bench and played a significant role in legal affairs during his time.
Another historical figure was Richard Mask (1681-1753), an English clergyman and author who wrote several theological works, including a commentary on the Book of Revelation. He served as the Rector of Stanford Dingley in Berkshire for over 40 years.
In the 18th century, the MASK surname gained prominence in the United States, with records indicating the arrival of several individuals bearing this name. One such individual was John Mask (1725-1805), a farmer and landowner from Virginia who fought in the American Revolutionary War.
Another notable figure was William Mask (1792-1868), an early settler and pioneer in the state of Ohio. He established a successful farming operation and contributed to the development of the local community.
In the 19th century, the MASK surname continued to spread across the United States and other parts of the world, with individuals bearing this name making notable contributions in various fields, such as politics, literature, and the arts.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mask
Among Census respondents with the surname Mask, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.3%. The next largest groups are Black (19.4%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Mask 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 Mask surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White71.3% · 2,222
- Black or African American19.4% · 606
- Two or more races5.0% · 156
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 87
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 23
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 22
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mask
Mask 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
#9,573
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,395
+132 bearers (+4.0%)
Per 100,000 1.15
Rank movement Down 381 places
2020
#9,891
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,116
-279 bearers (-8.2%)
Per 100,000 1.04
Rank movement Down 318 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,192 | 3,263 | 1.21 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,573 | 3,395 | 1.15 | +132 bearers (+4.0%) | Down 381 places |
| 2020 | #9,891 | 3,116 | 1.04 | -279 bearers (-8.2%) | Down 318 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 Mask 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 | #9,573 | #9,891 | -3.3% |
| Count | 3,395 | 3,116 | -8.2% |
| Per 100K | 1.15 | 1.04 | -9.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mask bearers went from 3,395 to 3,116 (-8.2% change). The surname moved down 318 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,573 to #9,891.
FAQ
Mask surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mask?
Name Census estimates that about 3,573 living Americans carry the surname Mask. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 95,929 residents.
How common is Mask?
Mask ranks #9,891 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,116 people with the surname Mask. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,573), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Mask.
Has Mask become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mask went from 3,395 recorded bearers to 3,116. That is a decrease of 279 (-8.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,573 to #9,891.
What does the Census say about the background of Mask?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mask, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.3%. The next largest groups are Black (19.4%) and Two or More Races (5.0%). 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 Mask in the 2020 Census, accounting for 71.3% (2,222 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mask appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (71.3%), Black (19.4%), Two or More Races (5.0%). 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 Mask (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 Mask mean?
An occupational surname for a person who made or sold masks or disguises. 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 Mask (1.04 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 Americans have the surname Mask?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.