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

Cornell, 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 Cornell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cornell in America

Cornell is the 1672nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cornell surname appeared 21,558 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Cornell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cornell 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 Cornell

The surname Cornell originates from England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "cornouaille," meaning "of Cornwall," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name hailed from the county of Cornwall in the southwestern part of England.

In early records, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Cornhyll, Cornhill, and Cornhull, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal variations of the time. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1170, which mention a Robert de Cornhull.

The Cornell surname is also associated with several place names in England, including Cornell in Lincolnshire and Cornell in Bedfordshire. These locations likely served as residences or estates for early bearers of the name, contributing to its widespread adoption.

Notably, the Cornell family played a significant role in the history of England. Sir John Cornell (c. 1508-1594) was a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. His son, Sir Thomas Cornell (c. 1540-1608), also served as a Member of Parliament and was involved in various legal disputes over land ownership.

Another notable figure was Thomas Cornell (1616-1694), an early settler in colonial America who migrated from England to Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1638. He later became one of the founders of Westchester County, New York, and established the town of Cornell, which bears his surname.

In the realm of literature, Ezra Cornell (1807-1874) was an American businessman and philanthropist who co-founded Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, in 1865. The university was named in his honor, solidifying the Cornell name's association with education and intellectual pursuits.

Other prominent individuals with the Cornell surname include Joseph Cornell (1903-1972), an American artist and sculptor known for his innovative box assemblages, and Katharine Cornell (1893-1974), a renowned American actress who achieved great success on the stage during the 20th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cornell

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

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

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

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