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

Echols, 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 Echols surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Echols in America

Echols is the 2501st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Echols surname appeared 14,456 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 Echols.

We can also compare 2010 data for Echols 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 Echols

The surname Echols is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "eccleshale" or "eccleshall," which means "church hall" or "church nook." This name is believed to have originated in the medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century, in the English county of Staffordshire.

The name Echols is a locational surname, which means it was originally given to someone who lived near or came from a place called Eccleshall. This was a common practice in England during the Middle Ages when surnames were first adopted as a way to distinguish individuals from others in their community.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Echols can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from 1327, which list a person named John de Eccleshale. The name was also documented in the Pipe Rolls of Shropshire in 1379, where a Robert de Eccleshall is mentioned.

Over time, the name evolved into various spellings, including Echols, Eckles, Eccles, and Eccleshall, reflecting regional dialects and variations in pronunciation. It is believed that the Echols spelling became more prevalent in the 16th and 17th centuries as the name spread beyond its original geographical region.

One notable individual with the surname Echols was Sir Samuel Echols (1594-1670), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Staffordshire during the reign of Charles I. Another early bearer of the name was John Echols (1625-1692), an English Puritan minister and author who wrote several religious works.

In the 18th century, a prominent figure named Thomas Echols (1723-1799) was a successful merchant and landowner in Virginia, United States. He played a significant role in the early settlement and development of the colony.

Another notable individual was James Echols (1768-1844), an American military officer who served in the War of 1812 and later became a brigadier general in the Tennessee militia.

In more recent history, Robert S. Echols (1920-2006) was an American lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Arkansas from 1981 to 1985.

While the surname Echols has roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly in North America, through immigration and migration. The name continues to be borne by individuals of diverse backgrounds and nationalities, reflecting its historical journey from a small English village to a global presence.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Echols

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

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

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

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