2000
#116,835
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 138
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Dotel
A locational surname likely derived from a place name in France or Spain.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 310 Americans carry the last name Dotel. That puts it at #76,719 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,105,659 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dotel 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
310
1 in 1,105,659
Census rank
#76,719
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
270
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 270 bearers of the surname Dotel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 76719th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dotel, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 86.3%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (8.9%) and White (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dotel
The surname Dotel is believed to have originated from the Dominican Republic, with its roots tracing back to the 16th century. It is thought to have derived from the Spanish word "dotar," which means "to endow" or "to provide with a dowry." This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals who were dowried or endowed with property or wealth.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Dotel can be found in the archives of the Dominican Republic, dating back to the late 1500s. These records document the presence of individuals bearing this surname in various regions of the country, particularly in the central and northern areas.
During the colonial era, the Dotel surname was often associated with landowners and prominent families in the Dominican Republic. Some historical references indicate that members of the Dotel family were involved in the cultivation of sugarcane, which was a significant industry at the time.
In the 19th century, a notable figure named Juan Dotel (1820-1887) gained recognition as a prominent politician and statesman in the Dominican Republic. He served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and played a crucial role in shaping the country's diplomatic relations during a pivotal period in its history.
Another individual of note was Josefa Dotel (1854-1928), a renowned educator and advocate for women's rights in the Dominican Republic. She established several schools and was instrumental in promoting educational opportunities for women during a time when such opportunities were limited.
In the 20th century, the Dotel surname gained international recognition through the achievements of Damaso Dotel (1922-2003), a celebrated Dominican writer and poet. His literary works, which explored themes of national identity and social commentary, earned him critical acclaim and numerous literary awards.
Additionally, the world of sports has seen notable figures with the Dotel surname, such as Octavio Dotel (born 1973), a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for several teams, including the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros, over the course of his career.
Throughout its history, the Dotel surname has maintained a strong presence in the Dominican Republic, with branches spreading to other parts of the Caribbean, as well as to the United States and other countries where Dominican communities have established themselves.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dotel
Among Census respondents with the surname Dotel, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 86.3%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (8.9%) and White (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Dotel 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 Dotel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino86.3% · 233
- Asian and Pacific Islander8.9% · 24
- White2.6% · 7
- Two or more races1.5% · 4
- Black or African American0.4% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Dotel
Dotel 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
#91,981
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 200
+62 bearers (+44.9%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Up 24,854 places
2020
#76,719
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 270
+70 bearers (+35.0%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Up 15,262 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #116,835 | 138 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #91,981 | 200 | 0.07 | +62 bearers (+44.9%) | Up 24,854 places |
| 2020 | #76,719 | 270 | 0.09 | +70 bearers (+35.0%) | Up 15,262 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 Dotel 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 | #91,981 | #76,719 | 16.6% |
| Count | 200 | 270 | 35.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.07 | 0.09 | 29.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Dotel bearers went from 200 to 270 (+35.0% change). The surname moved up 15,262 positions in the national ranking, going from #91,981 to #76,719.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Dotel
FAQ
Dotel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Dotel?
Name Census estimates that about 310 living Americans carry the surname Dotel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,105,659 residents.
How common is Dotel?
Dotel ranks #76,719 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.09 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 270 people with the surname Dotel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (310), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.09 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.09 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 Dotel.
Has Dotel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Dotel went from 200 recorded bearers to 270. That is an increase of 70 (+35.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #91,981 to #76,719.
What does the Census say about the background of Dotel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dotel, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 86.3%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (8.9%) and White (2.6%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Dotel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.3% (233 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Dotel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (86.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (8.9%), White (2.6%). 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 Dotel (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 Dotel mean?
A locational surname likely derived from a place name in France or Spain. 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 Dotel (0.09 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 Dotel?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.