2000
#128,797
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Cymbal
A surname that may refer to a cymbal maker or someone associated with that trade.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 132 Americans carry the last name Cymbal. That puts it at #145,757 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,596,624 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cymbal 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
132
1 in 2,596,624
Census rank
#145,757
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
115
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 115 bearers of the surname Cymbal in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145757th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cymbal, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cymbal
The surname CYMBAL is believed to have originated in Poland in the 16th century. It is derived from the Polish word "cymbal", which refers to the musical instrument of the same name. This suggests that the name was likely first adopted by a person who either played or made cymbals for a living.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the CYMBAL surname can be found in a registry of craftsmen in the city of Krakow, dated 1593. Here, a "Jakub Cymbal" is listed as a cymbal-maker, indicating that the name was already in use at that time.
In the 17th century, the CYMBAL name began to spread beyond Poland, with records showing individuals bearing the surname in neighboring regions such as Silesia and Bohemia. This was likely due to migration and the movement of skilled artisans across Central Europe.
One notable historical figure with the CYMBAL surname was Jan Cymbal, a Polish composer and musician who lived from 1670 to 1735. He is known for his contributions to the development of Polish baroque music and his work as a court musician for various noble families.
Another individual of note was Franciszek Cymbal, a Polish merchant and trader who lived from 1750 to 1825. Records indicate that he was involved in the lucrative trade of cymbals and other musical instruments, which likely contributed to the proliferation of the surname among his descendants.
In the 19th century, the CYMBAL surname began to appear in various historical records across Eastern Europe. For instance, in 1845, a village called "Cymbalowka" was established in modern-day Ukraine, possibly named after an early settler or prominent figure with the CYMBAL surname.
One of the most famous individuals with the CYMBAL surname was Józef Cymbal, a Polish artist and painter who lived from 1890 to 1972. He was renowned for his landscape paintings and his contributions to the development of Polish Impressionism.
Another notable figure was Tadeusz Cymbal, a Polish scientist and engineer who lived from 1920 to 2005. He was instrumental in the development of radar technology during World War II and later made significant contributions to the field of telecommunications.
While the CYMBAL surname is still relatively uncommon outside of Poland and neighboring regions, it has a rich history and a unique connection to the world of music and artisanship. Its origins as a name adopted by cymbal-makers and musicians have left a lasting legacy, with the name being carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cymbal
Among Census respondents with the surname Cymbal, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Cymbal 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 Cymbal surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White99.1% · 114
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cymbal
Cymbal 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
#133,048
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
+5 bearers (+4.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,251 places
2020
#145,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
-12 bearers (-9.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,709 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #128,797 | 122 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,048 | 127 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.1%) | Down 4,251 places |
| 2020 | #145,757 | 115 | 0.04 | -12 bearers (-9.4%) | Down 12,709 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 Cymbal 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 | #133,048 | #145,757 | -9.6% |
| Count | 127 | 115 | -9.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cymbal bearers went from 127 to 115 (-9.4% change). The surname moved down 12,709 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,048 to #145,757.
FAQ
Cymbal surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cymbal?
Name Census estimates that about 132 living Americans carry the surname Cymbal. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,596,624 residents.
How common is Cymbal?
Cymbal ranks #145,757 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 115 people with the surname Cymbal. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (132), 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 Cymbal.
Has Cymbal become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cymbal went from 127 recorded bearers to 115. That is a decrease of 12 (-9.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,048 to #145,757.
What does the Census say about the background of Cymbal?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cymbal, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). 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 Cymbal in the 2020 Census, accounting for 99.1% (114 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cymbal appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (99.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). 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 Cymbal (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 Cymbal mean?
A surname that may refer to a cymbal maker or someone associated with that trade. 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 Cymbal (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 Cymbal?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.