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

Axtell, 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 Axtell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Axtell in America

Axtell is the 11095th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Axtell surname appeared 2,861 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Axtell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Axtell 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 Axtell

The surname Axtell has its origins in England, where it first appeared in the late 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "aesc" (ash tree) and "tun" (enclosure or homestead), suggesting that the name originally referred to someone who lived near an ash tree enclosure or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1199, which mention a person named Richard de Axtell. This suggests that the name was initially used as a locational surname, indicating where a person or family lived.

During the medieval period, the surname was often spelled in various ways, including Axtill, Axtyll, and Axtel. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.

In the 16th century, the name Axtell appeared in the parish records of Berkshire, where a family bearing this surname was recorded as landowners and farmers. One notable member of this family was Henry Axtell (1572-1631), a prominent clergyman who served as the rector of Didcot and Cholsey.

Another historical figure with the surname Axtell was Daniel Axtell (1622-1660), an English soldier and regicide who fought for the Parliamentarian cause during the English Civil War. He was a signatory to the death warrant of King Charles I and was later executed for his involvement in the regicide.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Axtell surname spread across England, with families settling in various counties, including Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. Notable individuals from this period include John Axtell (1648-1730), a wealthy merchant and landowner in Gloucestershire, and Thomas Axtell (1699-1778), a prominent lawyer and judge in Somerset.

In the 19th century, the Axtell surname began to appear in records from other parts of the British Isles, as well as in North America, where many English families had emigrated. One noteworthy individual was Samuel Beach Axtell (1819-1891), an American politician and lawyer who served as the 16th Governor of New Mexico Territory.

Throughout its history, the Axtell surname has been associated with various professions and occupations, including clergy, military, law, business, and agriculture. While the surname is not among the most common in English-speaking countries, it has maintained a presence over the centuries and continues to be carried on by families with roots in England and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Axtell

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

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 Axtell 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 Axtell 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 Axtell was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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