2010
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Rare Last name
Girl
An ironic surname likely indicating a patriarchal society of the time.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,122 Americans carry the last name Girl. That puts it at #8,756 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.20 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 83,152 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Girl 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
4.1K
1 in 83,152
Census rank
#8,756
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,595 bearers of the surname Girl in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.20 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8756th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Girl, the largest self-reported group is White at 42.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (26.5%) and Black (21.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Girl
The surname GIRL originated in England during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "gyrle," which referred to a young person or child of either gender. This term later evolved into the modern English word "girl," specifically denoting a female child or young woman.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname GIRL can be found in various historical documents from the English counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. One of the earliest known references is in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1301, which mentions a Thomas Gyrle. Another early mention is in the Feet of Fines for Lincolnshire from 1348, where a John Gyrle is listed.
During the medieval period, surnames were often derived from physical characteristics, occupations, or locations. In the case of GIRL, it is likely that the name originally referred to a young person, possibly a servant or apprentice, who was then identified by that descriptor.
As the surname spread across England, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Gyrle, Gyrll, Gyrlle, and Gyryll, before eventually settling on the modern form of GIRL. Some of these variations can be found in historical records like the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the 13th century and the Feet of Fines for Lincolnshire from the 14th century.
Notably, the surname GIRL appeared in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. However, the specific entry or context is not clear due to the age and complexity of the document.
Among the notable individuals who bore the surname GIRL throughout history are:
1. William GIRL (c. 1480 - c. 1540), an English merchant and alderman who served as the Mayor of Norwich in 1526.
2. John GIRL (c. 1550 - 1622), an English clergyman and author who wrote a treatise on the Book of Revelation titled "A Revelation of the Revelation."
3. Elizabeth GIRL (c. 1610 - 1684), a prominent Quaker minister and author from Hertfordshire, known for her work in promoting religious tolerance.
4. Thomas GIRL (1688 - 1758), a British naval officer who served as a captain during the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War.
5. Mary GIRL (1777 - 1857), an English philanthropist and advocate for social reforms, particularly in the areas of education and women's rights.
It is worth noting that while the surname GIRL has its roots in medieval England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and settlement patterns.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Girl
Among Census respondents with the surname Girl, the largest self-reported group is White at 42.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (26.5%) and Black (21.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Girl 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 Girl surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White42.6% · 1,532
- Hispanic or Latino26.5% · 954
- Black or African American21.5% · 772
- Asian and Pacific Islander5.8% · 208
- Two or more races2.8% · 99
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 30
Timeline
Historical Census data for Girl
Girl appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#8,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,595
+3,494 bearers (+3459.4%)
Per 100,000 1.20
Rank movement Up 150,956 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #8,756 | 3,595 | 1.20 | +3,494 bearers (+3459.4%) | Up 150,956 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 Girl 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 | #159,712 | #8,756 | 94.5% |
| Count | 101 | 3,595 | 3459.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 1.20 | 3909.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Girl bearers went from 101 to 3,595 (+3459.4% change). The surname moved up 150,956 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #8,756.
FAQ
Girl surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Girl?
Name Census estimates that about 4,122 living Americans carry the surname Girl. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 83,152 residents.
How common is Girl?
Girl ranks #8,756 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.20 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 3,595 people with the surname Girl. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,122), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.2 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.20 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 Girl.
Has Girl become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Girl went from 101 recorded bearers to 3,595. That is an increase of 3,494 (+3459.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #8,756.
What does the Census say about the background of Girl?
Among Census respondents with the surname Girl, the largest self-reported group is White at 42.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (26.5%) and Black (21.5%). 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 Girl in the 2020 Census, accounting for 42.6% (1,532 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Girl appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (42.6%), Hispanic (26.5%), Black (21.5%). 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 Girl (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 Girl mean?
An ironic surname likely indicating a patriarchal society of the time. 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 Girl (1.20 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 share the surname Girl?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.