2000
#150,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Gabrel
A surname derived from the Biblical name Gabriel.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 132 Americans carry the last name Gabrel. That puts it at #145,757 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,596,624 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gabrel 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
132
1 in 2,596,624
Census rank
#145,757
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
115
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 115 bearers of the surname Gabrel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145757th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gabrel, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.6%. The next largest groups are Black (8.7%) and Hispanic (6.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gabrel
The surname GABREL is believed to have originated in France during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "gabrel," which referred to a type of forked roof or gable. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for a roofer or builder who specialized in constructing gabled roofs.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name GABREL can be found in a document from the city of Lyon, dated 1327. The document mentions a "Pierre Gabrel," who was a carpenter by trade. This provides evidence that the name was already in use and associated with the construction industry in that region during the 14th century.
In the 15th century, the GABREL surname appeared in several historical records from the Normandy region of France. For instance, a "Jehan Gabrel" is listed as a landowner in the town of Caen in 1482. This suggests that the name had spread beyond its original roots and was now being adopted by individuals from different social classes.
During the 16th century, the GABREL surname began to appear in various parts of Europe, possibly due to the migration of French Huguenots fleeing religious persecution. One notable individual from this period was Jacques GABREL, a Protestant minister who was born in Rouen in 1532 and later settled in England, where he continued his religious work.
In the 17th century, the GABREL name can be found in the records of several European countries, including England, Germany, and the Netherlands. One prominent figure was Johann GABREL, a German composer and organist who lived from 1625 to 1679 and is best known for his contributions to the development of the chorale prelude.
As the name spread across Europe, it also underwent various spelling variations, such as GABEL, GABREL, and GABRELL. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of local record-keepers.
Other notable individuals with the GABREL surname include:
1. Marie-Antoinette GABREL (1755-1793), a French aristocrat and supporter of the Revolution who was executed during the Reign of Terror.
2. Étienne GABREL (1802-1875), a French landscape painter known for his depictions of rural scenes and coastal views.
3. Charles GABREL (1874-1942), a British lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the Conservative Party.
4. Émile GABREL (1892-1972), a French sculptor and ceramist who was known for his innovative glazing techniques and modernist style.
5. Lucien GABREL (1920-2003), a French resistance fighter during World War II who later became a prominent businessman and philanthropist.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gabrel
Among Census respondents with the surname Gabrel, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.6%. The next largest groups are Black (8.7%) and Hispanic (6.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Gabrel 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 Gabrel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.6% · 95
- Black or African American8.7% · 10
- Hispanic or Latino6.1% · 7
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gabrel
Gabrel 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
#147,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+12 bearers (+12.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,183 places
2020
#145,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+3 bearers (+2.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,496 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #150,436 | 100 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | +12 bearers (+12.0%) | Up 3,183 places |
| 2020 | #145,757 | 115 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.7%) | Up 1,496 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 Gabrel 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 | #147,253 | #145,757 | 1.0% |
| Count | 112 | 115 | 2.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gabrel bearers went from 112 to 115 (+2.7% change). The surname moved up 1,496 positions in the national ranking, going from #147,253 to #145,757.
FAQ
Gabrel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gabrel?
Name Census estimates that about 132 living Americans carry the surname Gabrel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,596,624 residents.
How common is Gabrel?
Gabrel ranks #145,757 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 115 people with the surname Gabrel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (132), 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 Gabrel.
Has Gabrel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gabrel went from 112 recorded bearers to 115. That is an increase of 3 (+2.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #147,253 to #145,757.
What does the Census say about the background of Gabrel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gabrel, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.6%. The next largest groups are Black (8.7%) and Hispanic (6.1%). 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 Gabrel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.6% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gabrel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.6%), Black (8.7%), Hispanic (6.1%). 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 Gabrel (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 Gabrel mean?
A surname derived from the Biblical name Gabriel. 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 Gabrel (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 people have the last name Gabrel?
Want to know how many people are called Gabrel? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.