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

Caleb, 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 Caleb surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Caleb in America

Caleb is the 29918th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Caleb surname appeared 785 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Caleb.

We can also compare 2010 data for Caleb 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 Caleb

The surname Caleb originates from the Hebrew biblical name קָלֵב (Qalev), which is derived from the Hebrew word כֶּלֶב (kelev), meaning "dog". The name is believed to have first emerged in the Middle East during ancient times.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Caleb can be found in the Old Testament of the Bible, where Caleb is mentioned as one of the twelve spies sent by Moses to explore the land of Canaan. He is described as a faithful and courageous man who advocated for the Israelites to take possession of the Promised Land.

As the name spread across Europe during the Middle Ages, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Kaleb, Kalob, and Calibe. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and linguistic adaptations.

In England, the surname Caleb is recorded as early as the 16th century, with one of the earliest known individuals being John Caleb, born in 1520 in Gloucestershire. Another notable figure was the English Puritan minister Hugh Caleb, who lived from 1572 to 1635 and was known for his religious writings.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Caleb is that of Joseph Caleb, who was born in 1698 in Massachusetts. He was a prominent merchant and landowner in the colonial era.

Other notable individuals with the surname Caleb include:

1. Walter Caleb, an English painter and engraver who lived from 1642 to 1708.
2. Robert Caleb, an American politician who served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates in the early 19th century.
3. Mary Caleb, a British writer and activist born in 1846, known for her work in promoting women's rights and education.
4. Benjamin Caleb, a French artist and sculptor who lived from 1879 to 1952, renowned for his sculptural works depicting biblical themes.
5. Samuel Caleb, a British military officer who served in the Royal Navy during the 18th century, participating in several major naval battles.

While the surname Caleb has its roots in the ancient Hebrew language, it has been adopted and adapted by various cultures and regions throughout history, reflecting the diverse and rich tapestry of human migrations and cultural exchanges.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Caleb

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

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

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

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