2000
#9,331
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,206
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.19
Rare Last name
Bicknell
Derived from a place name meaning "bee-keeper's hill" in Old English, referring to someone living near such a hill.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,252 Americans carry the last name Bicknell. That puts it at #10,747 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.95 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 105,398 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bicknell 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Bicknell with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.3K
1 in 105,398
Census rank
#10,747
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,836 bearers of the surname Bicknell in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.95 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10747th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bicknell, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bicknell
The surname Bicknell is of English origin and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "bic" meaning "a brook or stream" and "cnoll" meaning "a small hill or mound". This suggests that the name likely originated from a topographical feature, potentially referring to someone who lived near a small hill with a stream.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Bicknell appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1186, where it is spelled as "Bichenhill". This record indicates that the name was already in use during the late 12th century in the county of Gloucestershire.
The Bicknell surname is also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where it is recorded as "Bykenhulle". This variation in spelling highlights the evolution of the name over time and the regional differences in pronunciation and documentation.
In the 16th century, the Bicknell family had a notable presence in the village of Bicknor, located in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. This place name is likely derived from the same Old English roots as the surname, further solidifying the connection between the name and the geographical features of the area.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Bicknell was John Bicknell, who was born in 1540 in Siston, Gloucestershire. Another notable figure was Thomas Bicknell, a Puritan minister born in 1575 in Farnham, Surrey, who later emigrated to New England in the early 17th century.
In the 17th century, the Bicknell family had established a strong presence in the county of Kent. Zachary Bicknell, born in 1628 in Mayfield, East Sussex, was a prominent figure in the family during this period.
In the 18th century, James Bicknell (1737-1789), a British artist and engraver, gained recognition for his landscapes and portraits. He was born in London and is considered one of the most accomplished engravers of his time.
Another notable figure was Benjamin Bicknell (1781-1850), an English architect and surveyor who worked on several important projects, including the renovation of the Guildhall in London.
Throughout its history, the Bicknell surname has been associated with various professions and achievements, from ministers and artists to architects and surveyors, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of those who have carried this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bicknell
Among Census respondents with the surname Bicknell, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Bicknell 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 Bicknell surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.3% · 2,533
- Hispanic or Latino4.8% · 136
- Two or more races4.0% · 114
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 23
- Black or African American0.7% · 19
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 11
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bicknell
Bicknell 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
#9,592
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,389
+183 bearers (+5.7%)
Per 100,000 1.15
Rank movement Down 261 places
2020
#10,747
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,836
-553 bearers (-16.3%)
Per 100,000 0.95
Rank movement Down 1,155 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,331 | 3,206 | 1.19 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,592 | 3,389 | 1.15 | +183 bearers (+5.7%) | Down 261 places |
| 2020 | #10,747 | 2,836 | 0.95 | -553 bearers (-16.3%) | Down 1,155 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 Bicknell 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 | #9,592 | #10,747 | -12.0% |
| Count | 3,389 | 2,836 | -16.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.15 | 0.95 | -17.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bicknell bearers went from 3,389 to 2,836 (-16.3% change). The surname moved down 1,155 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,592 to #10,747.
FAQ
Bicknell surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bicknell?
Name Census estimates that about 3,252 living Americans carry the surname Bicknell. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 105,398 residents.
How common is Bicknell?
Bicknell ranks #10,747 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.95 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 2,836 people with the surname Bicknell. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,252), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.95 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.95 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 Bicknell.
Has Bicknell become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bicknell went from 3,389 recorded bearers to 2,836. That is a decrease of 553 (-16.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,592 to #10,747.
What does the Census say about the background of Bicknell?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bicknell, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%) and Two or More Races (4.0%). 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 Bicknell in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.3% (2,533 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bicknell appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.3%), Hispanic (4.8%), Two or More Races (4.0%). 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 Bicknell (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 Bicknell mean?
Derived from a place name meaning "bee-keeper's hill" in Old English, referring to someone living near such a hill. 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 Bicknell (0.95 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 Bicknell?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.