2000
#9,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,254
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.21
Rare Last name
Culler
An occupational surname referring to a collector or gatherer of taxes or rents.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,532 Americans carry the last name Culler. That puts it at #9,994 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 97,043 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Culler 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 Culler with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.5K
1 in 97,043
Census rank
#9,994
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,080 bearers of the surname Culler in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9994th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Culler, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.6%. The next largest groups are Black (16.0%) and Two or More Races (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Culler
The surname "CULLER" originates from England, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "cullen," which means "to cull" or "to select." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone whose occupation involved culling or selecting items, such as a shepherd or a harvester.
The name first appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where it was recorded as "Culur." Over time, the spelling evolved into various forms, including "Culler," "Cullor," and "Culler." Some records also show variations like "le Culur" and "Culyour," indicating the name's association with a specific occupation.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, a landowner named "Culerus" is mentioned, likely a precursor to the modern "CULLER" surname. This early mention reinforces the name's English origins and its potential connection to occupational titles.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname "CULLER" was John Culler, born around 1450 in Gloucestershire, England. He was a prominent landowner and is mentioned in several local records from the late 15th century.
Another notable figure was William Culler (1564-1628), a renowned scholar and author from Oxford. He wrote several treatises on theology and philosophy, making significant contributions to the intellectual discourse of his time.
In the 17th century, the name "CULLER" appeared in various parts of England, with records indicating families residing in areas such as Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. For instance, Thomas Culler (1620-1678) was a prominent merchant from Bristol, known for his extensive trade connections in the West Indies.
Moving into the 18th century, the name "CULLER" gained prominence in the literary world with the birth of Mary Ann Culler (1734-1805), a renowned poet and essayist from London. Her works were widely acclaimed and influential in the literary circles of the time.
Another fascinating figure was Edward Culler (1792-1866), an English explorer and naturalist. He embarked on several expeditions to Africa and the Americas, documenting his findings in numerous publications and contributing significantly to the field of natural history.
While the surname "CULLER" may have originated from an occupational title, it has since evolved into a distinct family name with a rich history spanning several centuries. From landowners and scholars to merchants and explorers, individuals bearing this surname have left their mark across various fields and regions throughout England's storied past.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Culler
Among Census respondents with the surname Culler, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.6%. The next largest groups are Black (16.0%) and Two or More Races (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Culler 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 Culler surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White77.6% · 2,389
- Black or African American16.0% · 492
- Two or more races3.1% · 95
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 81
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 18
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Culler
Culler 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
#9,708
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,343
+89 bearers (+2.7%)
Per 100,000 1.13
Rank movement Down 487 places
2020
#9,994
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,080
-263 bearers (-7.9%)
Per 100,000 1.03
Rank movement Down 286 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,221 | 3,254 | 1.21 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,708 | 3,343 | 1.13 | +89 bearers (+2.7%) | Down 487 places |
| 2020 | #9,994 | 3,080 | 1.03 | -263 bearers (-7.9%) | Down 286 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 Culler 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 | #9,708 | #9,994 | -2.9% |
| Count | 3,343 | 3,080 | -7.9% |
| Per 100K | 1.13 | 1.03 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Culler bearers went from 3,343 to 3,080 (-7.9% change). The surname moved down 286 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,708 to #9,994.
FAQ
Culler surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Culler?
Name Census estimates that about 3,532 living Americans carry the surname Culler. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 97,043 residents.
How common is Culler?
Culler ranks #9,994 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,080 people with the surname Culler. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,532), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Culler.
Has Culler become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Culler went from 3,343 recorded bearers to 3,080. That is a decrease of 263 (-7.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,708 to #9,994.
What does the Census say about the background of Culler?
Among Census respondents with the surname Culler, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.6%. The next largest groups are Black (16.0%) and Two or More Races (3.1%). 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 Culler in the 2020 Census, accounting for 77.6% (2,389 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Culler appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (77.6%), Black (16.0%), Two or More Races (3.1%). 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 Culler (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 Culler mean?
An occupational surname referring to a collector or gatherer of taxes or rents. 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 Culler (1.03 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 Culler?
Want to know how many people are called Culler? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.