2000
#127,948
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Ertell
Occupational surname originating from German meaning "to till" or "to cultivate the earth."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Ertell. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ertell 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Ertell in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ertell, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.4%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ertell
The surname Ertell is believed to have originated in Germany, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "ertel," meaning "noble land" or "inherited estate." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with landowners or individuals of noble descent.
One of the earliest known references to the Ertell name can be found in the records of the town of Erfurt, located in the central German state of Thuringia. In a document dated 1287, a certain Henrich Ertell is mentioned as a prominent citizen and landowner within the town's jurisdiction.
Another notable early record comes from the city of Nuremberg in the 14th century. A merchant named Hans Ertell is recorded as having traded goods along the prestigious Hanseatic trade routes, indicating the family's involvement in commerce during that era.
The name Ertell underwent various spelling variations over the centuries, including Ertelle, Ertel, and Erttell, reflecting the fluidity of written language and regional dialects at the time. One notable bearer of the name was Johann Ertell (1482-1543), a German astronomer and mathematician who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.
In the 16th century, the Ertell family spread further across German territories, with some members settling in regions like Bavaria and Saxony. One prominent figure was Martin Ertell (1528-1595), a Lutheran theologian and reformer who played a role in the Protestant Reformation.
During the 17th century, the name Ertell appeared in various official records and documents, such as land deeds and church registers. One example is Andreas Ertell (1637-1701), a respected jurist and legal scholar who served as a judge in the city of Leipzig.
As the centuries progressed, the Ertell name continued to be represented in various fields, including academia, the arts, and politics. Notable individuals include the philosopher Johann Heinrich Ertell (1712-1778), the artist Wilhelm Ertell (1820-1892), and the politician Otto Ertell (1872-1938), who served as a member of the Reichstag in the early 20th century.
While the name Ertell is not as common today as it once was, it remains a part of German cultural heritage, reflecting the rich history and contributions of those who bore this surname throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ertell
Among Census respondents with the surname Ertell, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.4%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Ertell 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 Ertell surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.5% · 100
- Hispanic or Latino4.4% · 5
- Two or more races4.4% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ertell
Ertell 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
#133,863
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
+3 bearers (+2.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,915 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-13 bearers (-10.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 13,358 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #127,948 | 123 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,863 | 126 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.4%) | Down 5,915 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -13 bearers (-10.3%) | Down 13,358 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 Ertell 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 | #133,863 | #147,221 | -10.0% |
| Count | 126 | 113 | -10.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ertell bearers went from 126 to 113 (-10.3% change). The surname moved down 13,358 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,863 to #147,221.
FAQ
Ertell surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ertell?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Ertell. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Ertell?
Ertell ranks #147,221 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 113 people with the surname Ertell. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Ertell.
Has Ertell become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ertell went from 126 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 13 (-10.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,863 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Ertell?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ertell, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.4%) and Two or More Races (4.4%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Ertell in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.5% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ertell appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.5%), Hispanic (4.4%), Two or More Races (4.4%). 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 Ertell (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 Ertell mean?
Occupational surname originating from German meaning "to till" or "to cultivate the earth." 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 Ertell (0.04 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 Americans have the surname Ertell?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.