2000
#116,123
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 139
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Canull
An English surname derived from the Old French term for an open field or plain.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Canull. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Canull 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Canull in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Canull, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Canull
The surname CANULL has its origins in England, emerging sometime in the late 12th or early 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "canu" and "hyll," meaning "hill of the cane" or "hill covered in reed." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with a geographical location or a topographical feature, possibly a hill or elevated area known for its abundance of cane or reed vegetation.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name CANULL can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk from the year 1230, where a certain William CANULL is mentioned as a landowner. This document serves as a valuable historical reference, providing evidence of the name's existence and use during the medieval period.
In the 14th century, the CANULL name appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, a record of tax assessments levied on landowners and property holders. This entry suggests that members of the CANULL family had established themselves as prominent figures in the region.
During the 16th century, a notable CANULL was John CANULL, a merchant and ship owner from Bristol, born in 1543. He played a significant role in the city's maritime trade and contributed to the local economy.
Another prominent individual with the CANULL surname was Sir Richard CANULL, a military officer who served in the English Civil War under King Charles I. Born in 1602, he fought valiantly in several battles and was knighted for his bravery and loyalty to the Crown.
In the 18th century, the CANULL name gained further recognition with the birth of Elizabeth CANULL (1712-1789), a renowned poet and playwright. Her works, which often explored themes of love and nature, were widely celebrated and contributed to the literary landscape of her time.
The 19th century saw the rise of James CANULL (1824-1897), an influential industrialist and entrepreneur who played a pivotal role in the development of the textile industry in Lancashire. His innovations and business acumen led to the creation of numerous employment opportunities and contributed to the region's economic growth.
These examples, spanning several centuries, illustrate the historical presence and significance of the CANULL surname across various fields, from landownership and military service to literature and industry.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Canull
Among Census respondents with the surname Canull, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Canull 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 Canull surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.9% · 104
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 2
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Canull
Canull 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
#133,863
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
-13 bearers (-9.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 17,740 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-14 bearers (-11.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 14,091 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #116,123 | 139 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,863 | 126 | 0.04 | -13 bearers (-9.4%) | Down 17,740 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | -14 bearers (-11.1%) | Down 14,091 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 Canull 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 | #133,863 | #147,954 | -10.5% |
| Count | 126 | 112 | -11.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Canull bearers went from 126 to 112 (-11.1% change). The surname moved down 14,091 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,863 to #147,954.
FAQ
Canull surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Canull?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Canull. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Canull?
Canull ranks #147,954 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 112 people with the surname Canull. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Canull.
Has Canull become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Canull went from 126 recorded bearers to 112. That is a decrease of 14 (-11.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,863 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Canull?
Among Census respondents with the surname Canull, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%). 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 Canull in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.9% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Canull appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.9%), Hispanic (2.7%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%). 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 Canull (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 Canull mean?
An English surname derived from the Old French term for an open field or plain. 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 Canull (0.04 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 have the last name Canull?
See how many people are called Canull on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.