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

Campbell, 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 Campbell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Campbell in America

Campbell is the 47th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Campbell surname appeared 386,157 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 131 people would have the surname Campbell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Campbell 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 Campbell

The surname Campbell has its origins in Scotland, first appearing in the 13th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words 'cam' meaning crooked and 'beul' meaning mouth or entry, referring to a crooked or winding field or stream near the dwelling place of the family. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was 'de Cambel' in 1249.

The Campbells were a powerful Highland clan, and their name is associated with several notable figures in Scottish history. One of the earliest recorded members of the clan was Sir Duncan Campbell, who fought alongside Robert the Bruce in the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century.

The Campbells held significant influence and territories in Argyll and the Western Isles of Scotland. Their clan seat was Castle Campbell, also known as Gloom Castle, which dates back to the 15th century. The Campbells were also closely associated with the town of Inveraray, where they had a stronghold.

In the 16th century, the Campbells played a prominent role in the Protestant Reformation in Scotland. The 4th Earl of Argyll, Archibald Campbell (1507-1558), was a leading supporter of the reformer John Knox and helped establish Protestantism in the country.

Another notable Campbell was John Campbell, Duke of Argyll and Greenwich (1678-1743), a Scottish nobleman and military leader who played a significant role in the Jacobite risings and the Union of England and Scotland.

The surname Campbell has also been associated with several notable literary figures, including the Scottish novelist and playwright James Campbell (1817-1888) and the American novelist and essayist John W. Campbell (1910-1971), who was influential in the development of science fiction.

Other notable Campbells include Sir Colin Campbell (1776-1847), a British Army officer who served in the Peninsular War and the Indian Rebellion of 1857, and Thomas Campbell (1777-1844), a Scottish poet known for his patriotic works such as "The Pleasures of Hope" and "Ye Mariners of England".

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Campbell

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

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

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

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