2000
#9,458
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,154
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.17
Rare Last name
Bittle
Derived from Middle English meaning "beetle," likely referring to someone who used a wooden mallet in their occupation.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,564 Americans carry the last name Bittle. That puts it at #9,915 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 96,171 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bittle 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
3.6K
1 in 96,171
Census rank
#9,915
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,108 bearers of the surname Bittle in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9915th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bittle, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.3%. The next largest groups are Black (13.1%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bittle
The surname Bittle has its origins traced back to England, with records dating as far back as the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bytl," which means a beetlestone, referring to a hard and durable rock used for grinding or sharpening tools.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners in England compiled by order of William the Conqueror, there are several entries that mention individuals with the surname Bittle or similar spellings such as Bittell or Bittill. These entries suggest that the name was prevalent in various parts of the country at that time.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Bittle can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a William Bittle is mentioned as a landowner. Another notable mention is in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire from 1292, which reference a Henry de Bytyl.
The surname Bittle has also been associated with certain place names, such as Bittle in Gloucestershire and Bittlewell in Derbyshire. These place names likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.
Notable individuals with the surname Bittle throughout history include:
1. John Bittle (c. 1550-1614), an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Lewes in Sussex.
2. William Bittle (1673-1745), a prominent merchant and landowner in colonial Virginia, United States.
3. Sarah Bittle (1784-1858), an American quilter and textile artist known for her intricate needlework.
4. James Bittle (1835-1918), a Scottish-born Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.
5. Reginald Bittle (1888-1951), a British military officer who served in both World War I and World War II, receiving the Distinguished Service Order for his bravery.
While the surname Bittle may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over the centuries, its origins can be traced back to the Old English word "bytl," reflecting the historical significance of the name in England.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bittle
Among Census respondents with the surname Bittle, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.3%. The next largest groups are Black (13.1%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Bittle 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 Bittle surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White78.3% · 2,434
- Black or African American13.1% · 406
- Two or more races4.6% · 143
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 74
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 26
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 25
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bittle
Bittle 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
#9,850
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,284
+130 bearers (+4.1%)
Per 100,000 1.11
Rank movement Down 392 places
2020
#9,915
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,108
-176 bearers (-5.4%)
Per 100,000 1.04
Rank movement Down 65 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,458 | 3,154 | 1.17 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,850 | 3,284 | 1.11 | +130 bearers (+4.1%) | Down 392 places |
| 2020 | #9,915 | 3,108 | 1.04 | -176 bearers (-5.4%) | Down 65 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 Bittle 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 | #9,850 | #9,915 | -0.7% |
| Count | 3,284 | 3,108 | -5.4% |
| Per 100K | 1.11 | 1.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bittle bearers went from 3,284 to 3,108 (-5.4% change). The surname moved down 65 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,850 to #9,915.
FAQ
Bittle surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bittle?
Name Census estimates that about 3,564 living Americans carry the surname Bittle. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 96,171 residents.
How common is Bittle?
Bittle ranks #9,915 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.04 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 3,108 people with the surname Bittle. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,564), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.04 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 Bittle.
Has Bittle become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bittle went from 3,284 recorded bearers to 3,108. That is a decrease of 176 (-5.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,850 to #9,915.
What does the Census say about the background of Bittle?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bittle, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.3%. The next largest groups are Black (13.1%) and Two or More Races (4.6%). 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 Bittle in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.3% (2,434 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bittle appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (78.3%), Black (13.1%), Two or More Races (4.6%). 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 Bittle (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 Bittle mean?
Derived from Middle English meaning "beetle," likely referring to someone who used a wooden mallet in their occupation. 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 Bittle (1.04 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 share the surname Bittle?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.