Searl
Unclear origin, possibly derived from an Old English word meaning "bright".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Searl. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Searl today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Searl births was 1920 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Searl. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Searl. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1920
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1920 SSA rank
#4,867
Tracked since 1920
Popularity
Searl: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Searl by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Searl during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Searl
The name Searl is an Old English given name that has its origins in the Anglo-Saxon language spoken in England before the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name is derived from the Old English word "sær" meaning "sea" or "ocean," and the suffix "-l" which was a common diminutive ending used to form pet names or nicknames. Thus, the name Searl likely meant "little one from the sea" or "sailor."
The name was likely used by coastal communities in areas such as East Anglia, Kent, and Sussex, where the Anglo-Saxon settlements were concentrated. It may have been a descriptive name given to individuals who lived near the sea or worked as sailors or fishermen.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Searl can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Særl" and "Særel," indicating its Anglo-Saxon roots.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Searl. One of the earliest was Searl Mercer, a prominent merchant and alderman in the City of London during the 13th century. Another was Searl Bates, an English soldier who fought in the Wars of the Roses in the 15th century.
In the 16th century, Searl Coverdale was an English Protestant reformer and translator who produced the first complete printed English translation of the Bible in 1535. He played a significant role in the English Reformation and the spread of Protestant teachings.
During the 17th century, Searl Middleton was a respected English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Twickenham, London.
In the 18th century, Searl Ainsworth was a notable English lexicographer and author who published several dictionaries and educational works, including a groundbreaking thesaurus that became a standard reference work.
While the name Searl was more commonly used in the past, particularly in the Anglo-Saxon period and the Middle Ages, it has become relatively rare in modern times. However, its historical significance and connection to the sea and coastal communities make it a unique and intriguing name with deep linguistic and cultural roots.
People
Searl + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Searl as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Searl: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Searl?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Searl going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about - US residents.
Is Searl a common name?
We classify Searl as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Searl most popular?
The single biggest year for Searl was 1920, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Searl is about 0 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Searl in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Searl a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Searl in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Searl still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Searl in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Searl can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Searl?
You can see how many people have the name Searl on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.