2000
#10,245
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,887
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.07
Rare Last name
Eiland
An English toponymic surname derived from Old English meaning "island" or "dry ground in a marsh."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,392 Americans carry the last name Eiland. That puts it at #10,356 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.99 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 101,048 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Eiland 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
3.4K
1 in 101,048
Census rank
#10,356
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,958 bearers of the surname Eiland in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.99 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10356th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Eiland, the largest self-reported group is White at 48.5%. The next largest groups are Black (42.8%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Eiland
The surname Eiland is of Dutch origin, originating in the Netherlands during the medieval period. It is derived from the Dutch word "eiland," which means "island." This suggests that the name was likely given to someone who lived on an island or came from an island.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Eiland surname can be found in the historical records of the city of Amsterdam in the 16th century. Specifically, a merchant named Pieter Eiland is mentioned in a trade document dated 1568.
In the 17th century, the Eiland surname appears in the Dutch colonial records of the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). A notable example is Jan Eiland, a Dutch East India Company official who served as the Governor of Ternate from 1649 to 1652.
The Eiland surname also has a connection to the Netherlands' maritime history. In the 18th century, a Dutch ship captain named Willem Eiland (1724-1798) gained fame for his successful voyage to the East Indies and his extensive trading activities in the region.
Another historical figure with the Eiland surname is Dirk Eiland (1788-1862), a Dutch military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a prominent leader in the Dutch East Indies.
In the 19th century, the Eiland surname can be found in various regions of the Netherlands, including the provinces of North Holland and South Holland. One notable individual from this period is Gerrit Eiland (1845-1912), a Dutch politician who served as a member of the House of Representatives.
During the 20th century, the Eiland surname continued to be present in the Netherlands, with several individuals making contributions in various fields. One example is Cornelis Eiland (1902-1982), a Dutch architect who designed several notable buildings in Amsterdam.
As the Eiland surname originated in the Netherlands, it is likely that the earliest recorded instances and historical references would be found in Dutch archives, records, and manuscripts. The name's connection to islands and maritime activities also suggests a strong link to the Netherlands' seafaring traditions and colonial history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Eiland
Among Census respondents with the surname Eiland, the largest self-reported group is White at 48.5%. The next largest groups are Black (42.8%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Eiland 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 Eiland surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White48.5% · 1,435
- Black or African American42.8% · 1,267
- Two or more races4.3% · 128
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 98
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 21
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Eiland
Eiland 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
#9,929
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,250
+363 bearers (+12.6%)
Per 100,000 1.10
Rank movement Up 316 places
2020
#10,356
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,958
-292 bearers (-9.0%)
Per 100,000 0.99
Rank movement Down 427 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,245 | 2,887 | 1.07 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,929 | 3,250 | 1.10 | +363 bearers (+12.6%) | Up 316 places |
| 2020 | #10,356 | 2,958 | 0.99 | -292 bearers (-9.0%) | Down 427 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 Eiland 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 | #9,929 | #10,356 | -4.3% |
| Count | 3,250 | 2,958 | -9.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.10 | 0.99 | -10.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Eiland bearers went from 3,250 to 2,958 (-9.0% change). The surname moved down 427 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,929 to #10,356.
FAQ
Eiland surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Eiland?
Name Census estimates that about 3,392 living Americans carry the surname Eiland. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 101,048 residents.
How common is Eiland?
Eiland ranks #10,356 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.99 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 2,958 people with the surname Eiland. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,392), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.99 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.99 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 Eiland.
Has Eiland become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Eiland went from 3,250 recorded bearers to 2,958. That is a decrease of 292 (-9.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,929 to #10,356.
What does the Census say about the background of Eiland?
Among Census respondents with the surname Eiland, the largest self-reported group is White at 48.5%. The next largest groups are Black (42.8%) and Two or More Races (4.3%). 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 Eiland in the 2020 Census, accounting for 48.5% (1,435 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Eiland appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (48.5%), Black (42.8%), Two or More Races (4.3%). 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 Eiland (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 Eiland mean?
An English toponymic surname derived from Old English meaning "island" or "dry ground in a marsh." 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 Eiland (0.99 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 Eiland?
If you just want to know how many people have the last name Eiland, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.