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

Earl, 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 Earl surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Earl in America

Earl is the 2270th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Earl surname appeared 16,027 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Earl.

We can also compare 2010 data for Earl 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 Earl

The surname Earl is derived from the Old English word "eorl", which means a nobleman or warrior. It is an occupational name, originally referring to a person who held the rank of an earl or a high-ranking military officer. The name has its roots in Anglo-Saxon England and can be traced back to the early medieval period.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Earl can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The book mentions several individuals with the name, including Aelfric Earl and Eadric Earl, indicating the presence of this surname in various parts of the country.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Earl was particularly prevalent in the counties of Northumberland, Yorkshire, and Lancashire. It was often associated with landowning families or those who held positions of authority within the feudal system. One notable example is the Earls of Derby, a prominent English noble family whose ancestry can be traced back to the 12th century.

In the 13th century, the surname Earl appeared in various legal documents and records, such as the Pipe Rolls and the Curia Regis Rolls. These sources provide valuable insights into the geographical distribution and social status of individuals bearing this surname during that period.

Among the famous historical figures with the surname Earl are:

1. Richard Earl (c. 1260 - c. 1320), an English military leader who served under Edward I and Edward II during the Scottish Wars of Independence.
2. Sir Walter Earl (c. 1350 - 1418), a prominent English soldier and landowner who fought in the Hundred Years' War.
3. Richard Earl (c. 1510 - 1588), an English composer and musician who served as a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal during the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, and Elizabeth I.
4. John Earl (c. 1590 - 1665), an English mathematician and philosopher who made significant contributions to the development of algebra and analytical geometry.
5. Edward Earl (1720 - 1789), a British naval officer who served during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War, and achieved the rank of Vice Admiral.

The surname Earl has also been associated with various place names and locations throughout England, such as Earl's Court in London, Earl's Barton in Northamptonshire, and Earl's Colne in Essex. These place names often reflect the presence of individuals bearing the surname Earl in those areas or their historical connections to the nobility.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Earl

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

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

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

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