2000
#124,872
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Caquelin
A French surname derived from the word "caquelin", meaning a small cooking pot or skillet.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Caquelin. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Caquelin 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Caquelin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Caquelin, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Caquelin
The surname CAQUELIN originated in France during the late medieval period, likely around the 14th or 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "caque," which referred to a type of barrel or cask used for transporting goods such as wine or other liquids. The name may have initially been an occupational surname, indicating a person who made or sold these casks.
In some early records, the name appears with slightly different spellings, such as CAQUELIN, CAQUELEN, or CAQUELON. One of the earliest documented instances of the surname can be found in the records of the city of Rouen, Normandy, where a certain Jean Caquelin is mentioned in the year 1412.
The CAQUELIN name has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. In the 16th century, a renowned lawyer and jurist named Pierre Caquelin (1530-1598) served as a member of the Parlement of Paris, one of the most influential judicial bodies in France at the time.
During the 17th century, a French painter named Pierre Caquelin (1615-1681) gained recognition for his portraits and historical scenes. His works can be found in various museums across Europe, including the Louvre in Paris.
In the realm of literature, the 18th century saw the rise of Charles Caquelin (1738-1805), a French playwright and actor who wrote several comedies and performed at the Comédie-Française, a prestigious Parisian theater.
The 19th century brought forth Louis Caquelin (1821-1887), a successful French businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to various charitable organizations and educational institutions in his homeland.
Another prominent figure with the CAQUELIN surname was Marie-Eugène Caquelin (1858-1924), a renowned French actress who graced the stages of several renowned theaters, including the Théâtre du Vaudeville and the Théâtre des Variétés in Paris.
While the CAQUELIN name has its roots in France, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and intermarriage. However, the earliest documented examples and historical references to this surname can be traced back to its French origins, reflecting its rich cultural heritage and association with various notable figures throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Caquelin
Among Census respondents with the surname Caquelin, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Caquelin 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 Caquelin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.2% · 109
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Caquelin
Caquelin 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
#116,829
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 149
+22 bearers (+17.3%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 8,043 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
-32 bearers (-21.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 27,441 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #124,872 | 127 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #116,829 | 149 | 0.05 | +22 bearers (+17.3%) | Up 8,043 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | -32 bearers (-21.5%) | Down 27,441 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 Caquelin 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 | #116,829 | #144,270 | -23.5% |
| Count | 149 | 117 | -21.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -21.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Caquelin bearers went from 149 to 117 (-21.5% change). The surname moved down 27,441 positions in the national ranking, going from #116,829 to #144,270.
FAQ
Caquelin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Caquelin?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Caquelin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Caquelin?
Caquelin ranks #144,270 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 117 people with the surname Caquelin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), 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 Caquelin.
Has Caquelin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Caquelin went from 149 recorded bearers to 117. That is a decrease of 32 (-21.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #116,829 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Caquelin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Caquelin, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%). 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 Caquelin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.2% (109 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Caquelin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.2%), Hispanic (2.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%). 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 Caquelin (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 Caquelin mean?
A French surname derived from the word "caquelin", meaning a small cooking pot or skillet. 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 Caquelin (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 Americans have the surname Caquelin?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.