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

Counsel, 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 Counsel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Counsel in America

Counsel is the 144141st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Counsel surname appeared 115 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Counsel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Counsel 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 Counsel

The surname COUNSEL is of English origin and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "conseil," which means "advice" or "counsel." The name likely originated as an occupational surname for someone who provided legal or administrative counsel.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name COUNSEL can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a census-like record from 1273, which mentions a John Counsel. This suggests that the name was already established in England by the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various records, such as the Poll Tax of Yorkshire in 1379, which lists a Robert Counsell. The spelling variations during this period include Counsell, Counsaille, and Counsill.

During the 16th century, the COUNSEL surname was found in several places across England, including London, where a Thomas Counsel was listed as a resident in 1568. There are also records of the name in Gloucestershire, where a William Counsel was born in 1587.

One notable individual bearing the COUNSEL surname was John Counsel (1598-1663), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Muston in Leicestershire. He wrote several religious works, including "The Spiritual Guide" and "The Perfect Man."

Another significant figure was Sir Edward Counsel (1628-1691), an English lawyer and judge who served as the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland from 1686 to 1688. He played a role in the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and was instrumental in securing the accession of William III and Mary II to the English throne.

In the 18th century, the COUNSEL name was found in various parts of England, including Oxfordshire, where a John Counsel was born in 1712. There was also a William Counsel (1735-1798), a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Radcliffe Observatory in Oxford.

One of the most prominent individuals with the COUNSEL surname was Sir William Counsel (1819-1893), a British politician and lawyer who served as the Attorney General for England and Wales from 1880 to 1885. He was also a Member of Parliament for Denbighshire and was knighted for his services to law and politics.

While the COUNSEL surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand, where descendants of English immigrants have continued to bear this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Counsel

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

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

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

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