2000
#20,982
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,168
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.43
Rare Last name
El
A surname indicating Hebrew ancestry or an abbreviation for "El Dios" (The God) in Spanish.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,217 Americans carry the last name El. That puts it at #14,748 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.65 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 154,603 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the El 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
2.2K
1 in 154,603
Census rank
#14,748
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,933 bearers of the surname El in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.65 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14748th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname El, the largest self-reported group is Black at 46.9%. The next largest groups are White (20.6%) and Two or More Races (12.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of El
The surname "EL" is believed to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in the region that is now known as Israel and the Palestinian territories. It is likely derived from the Semitic word "el," which means "god" or "deity." This word was used in various ancient languages spoken in the region, including Hebrew, Aramaic, and Phoenician.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "EL" can be found in the Hebrew Bible, where it appears as a component of various names, such as Israel, Bethel, and Ezekiel. These names often carried religious or symbolic significance, reflecting the importance of the concept of "el" in ancient Semitic cultures.
In the Middle Ages, the name "EL" began to appear more frequently in written records across the Middle East and parts of Europe. This was likely due to the spread of Jewish communities and the migration of people from the region. One notable individual bearing this surname was Rabbi Solomon ben Isaac, also known as Rashi (1040-1105), a renowned French Jewish scholar and commentator on the Talmud.
As time progressed, the name "EL" found its way into various European languages and cultures. In Spain, for instance, it was sometimes rendered as "Del" or "De El," reflecting the influence of the Arabic language and culture during the period of Moorish rule. One prominent figure with this variant was the Spanish philosopher and poet Solomon ibn Gabirol (1021-1058), also known as Avicebron.
In England, the name "EL" can be traced back to the 13th century, with records indicating its presence in various parts of the country. One notable individual from this period was Sir William El (fl. 1275), a landowner and knight mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire.
Over the centuries, the surname "EL" has been borne by numerous individuals from various backgrounds and professions. Among them are the Dutch theologian and philosopher Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772), the French composer and music theorist Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764), and the American inventor and businessman Elihu Yale (1649-1721), after whom Yale University is named.
While the surname "EL" may not be as widely recognized as some others, its long history and diverse cultural roots make it a fascinating subject of study for those interested in the origins and meanings of surnames.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for El
Among Census respondents with the surname El, the largest self-reported group is Black at 46.9%. The next largest groups are White (20.6%) and Two or More Races (12.4%).
The bar chart below shows how El 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 El surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American46.9% · 906
- White20.6% · 398
- Two or more races12.4% · 239
- Asian and Pacific Islander11.6% · 224
- Hispanic or Latino6.3% · 122
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.3% · 44
Timeline
Historical Census data for El
El 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
#17,596
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,597
+429 bearers (+36.7%)
Per 100,000 0.54
Rank movement Up 3,386 places
2020
#14,748
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,933
+336 bearers (+21.0%)
Per 100,000 0.65
Rank movement Up 2,848 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #20,982 | 1,168 | 0.43 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #17,596 | 1,597 | 0.54 | +429 bearers (+36.7%) | Up 3,386 places |
| 2020 | #14,748 | 1,933 | 0.65 | +336 bearers (+21.0%) | Up 2,848 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 El 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 | #17,596 | #14,748 | 16.2% |
| Count | 1,597 | 1,933 | 21.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.54 | 0.65 | 19.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of El bearers went from 1,597 to 1,933 (+21.0% change). The surname moved up 2,848 positions in the national ranking, going from #17,596 to #14,748.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname El
FAQ
El surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname El?
Name Census estimates that about 2,217 living Americans carry the surname El. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 154,603 residents.
How common is El?
El ranks #14,748 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.65 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 1,933 people with the surname El. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,217), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.65 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.65 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 El.
Has El become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname El went from 1,597 recorded bearers to 1,933. That is an increase of 336 (+21.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #17,596 to #14,748.
What does the Census say about the background of El?
Among Census respondents with the surname El, the largest self-reported group is Black at 46.9%. The next largest groups are White (20.6%) and Two or More Races (12.4%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname El in the 2020 Census, accounting for 46.9% (906 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
El appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (46.9%), White (20.6%), Two or More Races (12.4%). 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 El (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 El mean?
A surname indicating Hebrew ancestry or an abbreviation for "El Dios" (The God) in Spanish. 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 El (0.65 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 many people are called El?
Want to know how many people have the surname El? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.