Find out how popular the last name Ariel is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Ariel.

Ariel, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Ariel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ariel in America

Ariel is the 45347th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ariel surname appeared 472 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Ariel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ariel to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Ariel

The surname Ariel has its origins in ancient Hebrew, where it referred to the capital city of ancient Phoenicia, which is modern-day Lebanon. The name is derived from the Hebrew word "ariel," meaning "lion of God" or "hearth of God." It is believed that the name was initially a place name before becoming a surname.

Ariel was a prominent city in ancient Phoenicia and was mentioned in the Bible, particularly in the Book of Isaiah. The city was known for its wealth and economic power, as it was a major center of trade and commerce in the region.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Ariel date back to the 13th century in Spain, where it was likely adopted by Sephardic Jews. During this time, many Jews were forced to convert to Christianity or face expulsion from Spain, and some may have taken on the surname Ariel as a way to conceal their Jewish heritage.

One notable individual with the surname Ariel was Rabbi Isaac ben Moses Ariel, a prominent Talmudic scholar who lived in the 13th century in Seville, Spain. Another early figure was Moses ben Isaac Ariel, a Jewish philosopher and physician who lived in the 14th century in Catalonia.

In the 16th century, the surname Ariel appeared in various records in England, suggesting that it had spread beyond the Iberian Peninsula. One notable individual from this period was Sir Walter Ariel, an English politician and member of Parliament who served during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

During the 17th century, the surname Ariel gained prominence in France, where it was often associated with Huguenot families who had fled religious persecution. One notable figure from this time was Jacques Ariel, a French Protestant minister and theologian who lived from 1612 to 1678.

In the 18th century, the surname Ariel appeared in various parts of Europe, including Germany and Italy. One notable individual from this period was Johann Ariel, a German composer and organist who lived from 1738 to 1809.

As the centuries passed, the surname Ariel continued to spread across different regions and cultures, with various spellings and variations emerging. Despite its long history and diverse geographical spread, the surname Ariel has maintained its connection to its ancient Hebrew roots and the city of Ariel in ancient Phoenicia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ariel

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Ariel.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Ariel was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Ariel has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Ariel was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Ariel, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!