2000
#36,999
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 568
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.21
Very Rare Last name
Chrystal
A surname derived from the Greek word "Crystallo" meaning crystal or clear.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 647 Americans carry the last name Chrystal. That puts it at #41,581 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.19 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 529,759 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Chrystal 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Chrystal with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
647
1 in 529,759
Census rank
#41,581
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
564
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 564 bearers of the surname Chrystal in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.19 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 41581st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Chrystal, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.5%. The next largest groups are Black (10.1%) and Two or More Races (3.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Chrystal
The surname Chrystal is believed to have originated in Scotland, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "cris-teil," which means "crystal-clear." This name likely referred to someone who lived near a stream or river with particularly clear water.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a document containing the names of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to Edward I of England. The name appeared as "Cristal" in this record.
In the 15th century, the spelling evolved to "Chrystal," which is closer to the modern form. During this time, the name was primarily concentrated in the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the counties of Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire.
The Chrystal name has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was Sir William Chrystal (1490-1568), a Scottish laird and landowner who fought alongside Mary, Queen of Scots, during the Scottish Reformation.
In the 17th century, the name gained prominence with the birth of George Chrystal (1618-1684), a Scottish minister and theologian who served as the rector of the University of St. Andrews.
The 19th century saw the rise of several influential Chrystals, including George Chrystal (1851-1911), a renowned Scottish mathematician and professor at the University of Edinburgh. He made significant contributions to the fields of algebra and mathematical physics.
Another notable figure was James Chrystal (1832-1920), a Scottish lawyer and judge who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland from 1892 to 1895. He was also a member of the Scottish Royal Commission on the Scottish Universities.
In more recent times, the name has been carried by individuals like Judith Chrystal (1926-2011), a Scottish actress and broadcaster who appeared in numerous television and radio productions throughout her career.
While the Chrystal surname has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, reflecting the migration patterns of Scottish families over the centuries. However, its origins can be traced back to the crystal-clear waters of the Scottish landscape, a fitting reference for a name that has endured for centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Chrystal
Among Census respondents with the surname Chrystal, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.5%. The next largest groups are Black (10.1%) and Two or More Races (3.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Chrystal 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 Chrystal surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.5% · 471
- Black or African American10.1% · 57
- Two or more races3.2% · 18
- Hispanic or Latino2.3% · 13
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Chrystal
Chrystal 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
#39,773
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 552
-16 bearers (-2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.19
Rank movement Down 2,774 places
2020
#41,581
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 564
+12 bearers (+2.2%)
Per 100,000 0.19
Rank movement Down 1,808 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #36,999 | 568 | 0.21 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #39,773 | 552 | 0.19 | -16 bearers (-2.8%) | Down 2,774 places |
| 2020 | #41,581 | 564 | 0.19 | +12 bearers (+2.2%) | Down 1,808 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 Chrystal 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 | #39,773 | #41,581 | -4.5% |
| Count | 552 | 564 | 2.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.19 | 0.19 | -0.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Chrystal bearers went from 552 to 564 (+2.2% change). The surname moved down 1,808 positions in the national ranking, going from #39,773 to #41,581.
FAQ
Chrystal surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Chrystal?
Name Census estimates that about 647 living Americans carry the surname Chrystal. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 529,759 residents.
How common is Chrystal?
Chrystal ranks #41,581 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.19 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 564 people with the surname Chrystal. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (647), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.19 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.19 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 Chrystal.
Has Chrystal become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Chrystal went from 552 recorded bearers to 564. That is an increase of 12 (+2.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #39,773 to #41,581.
What does the Census say about the background of Chrystal?
Among Census respondents with the surname Chrystal, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.5%. The next largest groups are Black (10.1%) and Two or More Races (3.2%). 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 Chrystal in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.5% (471 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Chrystal appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.5%), Black (10.1%), Two or More Races (3.2%). 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 Chrystal (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 Chrystal mean?
A surname derived from the Greek word "Crystallo" meaning crystal or clear. 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 Chrystal (0.19 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 Chrystal?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.