2000
#139,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Billiel
A variant spelling of the French surname Billet, possibly indicating an occupation relating to wood.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 112 Americans carry the last name Billiel. That puts it at #156,269 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,060,307 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Billiel 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.
Bearers in the US
112
1 in 3,060,307
Census rank
#156,269
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
98
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 98 bearers of the surname Billiel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156269th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Billiel, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Billiel
The surname Billiel has its origins in France, dating back to the 8th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old French words "belle" and "ile," which translate to "beautiful island." This suggests that the name may have originated from a location or geographical feature, possibly an island or coastal region.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Billiel can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Biliell" and "Biliel." This historical document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides valuable insights into the distribution of surnames across England during the Norman conquest.
In the 12th century, the name Billiel was documented in various medieval records and manuscripts, such as the Cartulary of Blois and the Chartres Rolls. These sources shed light on the presence of the name in various regions of France, particularly in the Loire Valley and the Île-de-France regions.
One notable figure bearing the surname Billiel was Jean Billiel, a 14th-century merchant and landowner from Normandy. Records indicate that he owned several properties in the region and was involved in the thriving trade between France and England during that time.
Another individual of historical significance was Marguerite Billiel, a 16th-century noblewoman from the Champagne region of France. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her support of local artists and artisans.
In the 17th century, the name Billiel appeared in the records of the French colony of Quebec, Canada. One of the earliest settlers with this surname was Pierre Billiel, who arrived in New France in the 1660s and established a successful farming operation.
The name Billiel was also found in the records of the French East India Company, with a mention of a merchant named Jacques Billiel who traded in spices and textiles between France and India in the late 18th century.
Another notable bearer of the surname Billiel was Marie-Anne Billiel, a 19th-century painter and artist from the city of Lyons, France. Her works, primarily portraiture and landscapes, were exhibited in various salons and galleries throughout her lifetime.
The name Billiel has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, such as Biliel, Biliell, and Billiell, reflecting the evolution of language and regional dialects. Additionally, some historical records suggest that the name may have been associated with certain place names or locations, further emphasizing its geographical origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Billiel
Among Census respondents with the surname Billiel, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Billiel 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 Billiel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.9% · 95
- Two or more races2.0% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Billiel
Billiel 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
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-9 bearers (-8.2%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 19,955 places
2020
#156,269
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 98
-3 bearers (-3.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 3,443 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #139,757 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | -9 bearers (-8.2%) | Down 19,955 places |
| 2020 | #156,269 | 98 | 0.03 | -3 bearers (-3.0%) | Up 3,443 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 Billiel 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 | #159,712 | #156,269 | 2.2% |
| Count | 101 | 98 | -3.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 9.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Billiel bearers went from 101 to 98 (-3.0% change). The surname moved up 3,443 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #156,269.
FAQ
Billiel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Billiel?
Name Census estimates that about 112 living Americans carry the surname Billiel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,060,307 residents.
How common is Billiel?
Billiel ranks #156,269 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 98 people with the surname Billiel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (112), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Billiel.
Has Billiel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Billiel went from 101 recorded bearers to 98. That is a decrease of 3 (-3.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #156,269.
What does the Census say about the background of Billiel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Billiel, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%). 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 Billiel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.9% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Billiel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.9%), Two or More Races (2.0%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%). 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 Billiel (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 Billiel mean?
A variant spelling of the French surname Billet, possibly indicating an occupation relating to wood. 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 Billiel (0.03 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 people are called Billiel?
If you just want to know how many Americans have the surname Billiel, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.