2000
#10,159
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,916
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.08
Rare Last name
Eccles
From a place name derived from the Old English words "eccles," meaning church, or "aecels," meaning a hermitage.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,538 Americans carry the last name Eccles. That puts it at #9,981 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 96,878 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Eccles 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 Eccles with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.5K
1 in 96,878
Census rank
#9,981
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,085 bearers of the surname Eccles in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9981st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Eccles, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.0%. The next largest groups are Black (9.8%) and Hispanic (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Eccles
The surname Eccles originated in England and dates back to the medieval period. The name is derived from the Old English word "hecce," meaning "hedge," and the suffix "ley," meaning "clearing" or "field." This suggests that the name may have originated from someone who lived near a hedge or clearing.
The earliest recorded instance of the surname Eccles can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de Eckeles" in Lancashire. This entry refers to a place name, indicating that the surname may have been adopted by someone residing in or near the town of Eccles.
In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "de Eccles," "de Ekeles," and "de Eckeles," reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation during that time. The town of Eccles itself is believed to have been named after a Saxon chieftain named "Ecca," further reinforcing the connection between the surname and the place name.
One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Eccles was John de Eccles, who lived in Lancashire in the late 13th century. Another notable figure was Robert de Eccles, a clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Chester in the early 14th century.
In the 15th century, the surname appeared in records as "Eccles" without the prefix "de." Henry Eccles, born around 1450 in Lancashire, was a prominent figure during this period. He was a merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the local community.
During the 16th century, the surname Eccles became more widespread across England. One notable individual was Solomon Eccles, a renowned composer and musician who lived from 1618 to 1683. He served as the court musician to King Charles II and contributed significantly to the development of English baroque music.
Another famous bearer of the surname Eccles was Sir John Eccles, a renowned architect born in 1668. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings, including the Queen's House in Greenwich and the Radcliffe Camera in Oxford.
Throughout history, the surname Eccles has been associated with various professions and fields, including music, architecture, clergy, and trade. The name's origins and connections to place names in England have contributed to its enduring legacy and historical significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Eccles
Among Census respondents with the surname Eccles, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.0%. The next largest groups are Black (9.8%) and Hispanic (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Eccles 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 Eccles surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.0% · 2,500
- Black or African American9.8% · 302
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 112
- Two or more races3.6% · 111
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.2% · 36
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 24
Timeline
Historical Census data for Eccles
Eccles 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
#10,036
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,209
+293 bearers (+10.0%)
Per 100,000 1.09
Rank movement Up 123 places
2020
#9,981
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,085
-124 bearers (-3.9%)
Per 100,000 1.03
Rank movement Up 55 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,159 | 2,916 | 1.08 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,036 | 3,209 | 1.09 | +293 bearers (+10.0%) | Up 123 places |
| 2020 | #9,981 | 3,085 | 1.03 | -124 bearers (-3.9%) | Up 55 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 Eccles 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 | #10,036 | #9,981 | 0.5% |
| Count | 3,209 | 3,085 | -3.9% |
| Per 100K | 1.09 | 1.03 | -5.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Eccles bearers went from 3,209 to 3,085 (-3.9% change). The surname moved up 55 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,036 to #9,981.
FAQ
Eccles surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Eccles?
Name Census estimates that about 3,538 living Americans carry the surname Eccles. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 96,878 residents.
How common is Eccles?
Eccles ranks #9,981 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 3,085 people with the surname Eccles. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,538), 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 Eccles.
Has Eccles become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Eccles went from 3,209 recorded bearers to 3,085. That is a decrease of 124 (-3.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,036 to #9,981.
What does the Census say about the background of Eccles?
Among Census respondents with the surname Eccles, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.0%. The next largest groups are Black (9.8%) and Hispanic (3.6%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Eccles in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.0% (2,500 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Eccles appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.0%), Black (9.8%), Hispanic (3.6%). 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 Eccles (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 Eccles mean?
From a place name derived from the Old English words "eccles," meaning church, or "aecels," meaning a hermitage. 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 Eccles (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 common is the surname Eccles?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans have the surname Eccles at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.