Bissell
An English occupational surname referring to a fine linen weaver or a maker of a type of hoe.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,861 Americans carry the last name Bissell. That puts it at #6,701 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.71 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 58,481 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bissell surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
5.9K
1 in 58,481
Census rank
#6,701
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,039 bearers of the surname Bissell in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.71 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6701st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bissell, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bissell
The surname Bissell has its origins in England, specifically in the region of Nottinghamshire. It likely emerged during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is thought to have derived from the Old English words "byse" and "hyll," which together translate to "dweller by the bushy hill."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire from 1198, which mention a Thomas de Bysehyll. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also reference a Roger de Bishull in the same county. These early spellings, such as Bishull and Bysehyll, reflect the name's evolution over time.
The Bissell surname is believed to have originated as a locational name, referring to individuals who lived near a particular bushy hill or elevated area. In some cases, it may have also been an occupational name for those who lived or worked in areas known for their bushes or shrubs.
One notable figure bearing the Bissell name was Roger Bissell, who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was a prominent merchant and landowner in the town of Maidstone, Kent. Another early Bissell of note was John Bissell, born around 1595 in Somerset, who later emigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the early 1600s, becoming one of the founders of the town of Windsor, Connecticut.
In the 17th century, the name appears in various records, such as the marriage of Josiah Bissell and Sarah Holden in 1664 in Westfield, Massachusetts. William Bissell, born in 1670 in Scituate, Massachusetts, was a notable figure who served as a justice of the peace and a representative in the colonial legislature.
During the 18th century, the Bissell surname continued to spread across the American colonies. One prominent individual was Ezekiel Bissell, born in 1759 in Connecticut, who served as a lieutenant colonel in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.
While the Bissell name has its roots in England, it has since become widely distributed across various parts of the world, particularly in the United States and other English-speaking countries. However, the earliest recorded instances and historical references trace back to the medieval English origins of this surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bissell
Among Census respondents with the surname Bissell, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Bissell bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Bissell surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.1%
- Hispanic or Latino2.3%
- Two or more races1.9%
- Black or African American0.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Bissell surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,308 | #6,701 | -6.2% |
| Count | 4,972 | 5,039 | 1.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.84 | 1.71 | -7.1% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Bissell bearers went from 4,972 to 5,039 (+1.3% change). The surname moved down 393 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,308 to #6,701.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Bissell
FAQ
Bissell surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Bissell?
The surname Bissell holds position #6,701 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 5,861 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 1.71 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Bissell surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bissell, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Two or More Races (1.9%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.