1211.02(b)(iii)    U.S. Census Database Evidence

The U.S. Census Bureau’s database of surnames, (https://www.census.gov/topics/population/genealogy/data/2010_surnames.html ), which is taken from the most recent decennial census, is one type of evidence of the surname significance of a term. See, e.g., In re Olin Corp., 124 USPQ2d 1327, 1331 (TTAB 2017); In re Weiss Watch Co., 123 USPQ2d 1200, 1203 (TTAB 2017). The surnames in this database are ordered by rank, and the database lists the number of individuals in the country having each surname. Because the database reflects the number of individuals, rather than the number of households, with a particular name, search results from this database may be more persuasive evidence of surname frequency than results from telephone directory listings. See TMEP §710.01(a) regarding the requirements for providing evidence from research databases in Office actions, and §1211.02(b)(i) regarding providing evidence from telephone directory databases for surname significance.