Find out how popular the last name Gorrell is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Gorrell.

Gorrell, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Gorrell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gorrell in America

Gorrell is the 9786th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gorrell surname appeared 3,309 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Gorrell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gorrell to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Gorrell

The surname Gorrell is of English origin and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old French word "gorrelle," which means "a small deep pool or stream." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a small body of water or in a low-lying area prone to flooding.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Gorrell can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1176, where it is spelled "Gorhille." This variation in spelling was common during this period, as standardized spelling was not widely adopted until much later.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records across different regions of England. For example, in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk from 1273, there is a reference to a "William de Gorhill." This spelling variation indicates that the name may have been influenced by the Old English word "hill," further suggesting a connection to a geographical feature.

Over the centuries, the name has been recorded with various spellings, such as Gorrill, Gorrell, Gorrel, and Gorrell. One notable individual bearing this name was John Gorrell, a 16th-century English merchant and landowner who lived from 1528 to 1594.

In the 17th century, the name Gorrell can be found in the parish records of Gloucestershire, where a family of that name settled in the village of Huntley. One notable member of this family was Richard Gorrell, who was born in 1657 and served as the vicar of Huntley from 1683 until his death in 1718.

Another notable figure with the surname Gorrell was James Gorrell, an English poet and playwright who lived from 1690 to 1762. He is best known for his works "The Tragedy of Belisarius" and "The Loves of Evander and Roxena."

In the 18th century, the name Gorrell was also present in Scotland. One notable Scotsman bearing this name was David Gorrell, who was born in 1746 and served as a minister in the Church of Scotland. He was renowned for his sermons and published several religious works throughout his lifetime.

As the name spread across different regions, it also gave rise to various place names. For example, in Lincolnshire, there is a hamlet called Gorrel, which may have been named after an early resident with the surname Gorrell.

While the surname Gorrell is not among the most common in the English-speaking world, it has left its mark on history through the individuals mentioned above and others who have carried this name over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gorrell

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Gorrell.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Gorrell was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Gorrell has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Gorrell was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Gorrell, please contact us.

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