2000
#3,900
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,373
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.10
Rare Last name
Earle
An English toponymic surname derived from the Old English eorl, meaning a man of noble rank or a warrior.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 9,143 Americans carry the last name Earle. That puts it at #4,308 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.67 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 37,488 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Earle 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 Earle with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
9.1K
1 in 37,488
Census rank
#4,308
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
8.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 7,973 bearers of the surname Earle in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.67 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4308th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Earle, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.2%. The next largest groups are Black (17.5%) and Hispanic (4.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Earle
The surname Earle is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English word 'eorl' meaning 'nobleman' or 'warrior'. It first appeared in England during the medieval period, specifically in the regions of Berkshire, Devon, and Somerset.
The name was initially used as a title or rank for those who held a high social status or were prominent leaders in their communities. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which documented landowners and their holdings in England after the Norman Conquest.
Over time, the title 'eorl' evolved into a hereditary surname, and the spelling variations 'Earle', 'Earl', and 'Erle' became more common. These different spellings were often used interchangeably by families and scribes.
Several notable individuals have borne the surname Earle throughout history, including Ralph Earle (1606-1678), an English settler and one of the founders of the colony of Rhode Island. Another prominent figure was Jabez Earle (1676-1768), an English merchant and philanthropist who funded the construction of churches and schools in his hometown of Charlestown, Massachusetts.
Sir Giles Earle (1567-1626) was an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Dorset. He was also involved in the colonization efforts in Virginia and held various administrative positions in the early English settlements.
In the literary world, John Earle (1601-1665) was an English author and bishop known for his work "Micro-cosmographie, or a Peece of the World Discovered; in Essayes and Characters," which provided insightful observations on contemporary society and personalities.
Thomas Earle (1796-1876) was an English naturalist and writer who made significant contributions to the study of zoology and ornithology. His works include "A Narrative of a Nine Months' Residence in New Zealand" and "The Settlers in Australia," which documented his experiences and observations during his travels.
While the name Earle has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through immigration and migration. However, the historical origins and significance of this surname can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon era and the nobility and leadership roles associated with the title 'eorl'.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Earle
Among Census respondents with the surname Earle, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.2%. The next largest groups are Black (17.5%) and Hispanic (4.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Earle 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 Earle surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White73.2% · 5,840
- Black or African American17.5% · 1,392
- Hispanic or Latino4.1% · 327
- Two or more races3.9% · 313
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 59
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 42
Timeline
Historical Census data for Earle
Earle 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
#4,095
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,672
+299 bearers (+3.6%)
Per 100,000 2.94
Rank movement Down 195 places
2020
#4,308
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,973
-699 bearers (-8.1%)
Per 100,000 2.67
Rank movement Down 213 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,900 | 8,373 | 3.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,095 | 8,672 | 2.94 | +299 bearers (+3.6%) | Down 195 places |
| 2020 | #4,308 | 7,973 | 2.67 | -699 bearers (-8.1%) | Down 213 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 Earle 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 | #4,095 | #4,308 | -5.2% |
| Count | 8,672 | 7,973 | -8.1% |
| Per 100K | 2.94 | 2.67 | -9.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Earle bearers went from 8,672 to 7,973 (-8.1% change). The surname moved down 213 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,095 to #4,308.
FAQ
Earle surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Earle?
Name Census estimates that about 9,143 living Americans carry the surname Earle. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 37,488 residents.
How common is Earle?
Earle ranks #4,308 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.67 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 7,973 people with the surname Earle. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (9,143), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.67 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.67 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Earle.
Has Earle become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Earle went from 8,672 recorded bearers to 7,973. That is a decrease of 699 (-8.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #4,095 to #4,308.
What does the Census say about the background of Earle?
Among Census respondents with the surname Earle, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.2%. The next largest groups are Black (17.5%) and Hispanic (4.1%). 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 Earle in the 2020 Census, accounting for 73.2% (5,840 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Earle appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (73.2%), Black (17.5%), Hispanic (4.1%). 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 Earle (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 Earle mean?
An English toponymic surname derived from the Old English eorl, meaning a man of noble rank or a warrior. 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 Earle (2.67 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 common is the surname Earle?
You can see how many people have the surname Earle on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.