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

Gravel, 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 Gravel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gravel in America

Gravel is the 13583rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gravel surname appeared 2,232 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 Gravel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gravel 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 Gravel

The surname Gravel is of French origin and can be traced back to the region of Normandy in northern France. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "gravele," which means "gravel" or "small stones." This surname likely originated in medieval times, possibly during the 11th or 12th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Gravel surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name is mentioned in reference to a landowner named Ralf de Gravele, who held lands in Hertfordshire.

In the 13th century, there are records of a family named Gravel residing in the village of Gravel, located in the Pas-de-Calais region of northern France. This place name likely contributed to the surname's origin and early use.

During the Middle Ages, the Gravel surname was also associated with occupations related to construction or quarrying, as those involved in these trades often worked with gravel and other types of stone.

Notable individuals with the surname Gravel include:

1. Maurice Gravel (1923-2020), a Canadian politician who served as a member of the House of Commons and as a Senator.
2. Philippe Gravel (born 1951), a Canadian writer and novelist known for his works exploring Quebec's cultural identity.
3. Jean-Baptiste Gravel (1834-1909), a French-Canadian Roman Catholic priest and educator who founded the École de Médecine et de Chirurgie de Montréal (now known as the Université de Montréal).
4. Claudette Gravel (born 1945), a Canadian children's author and illustrator best known for her series "La Petite Patrie."
5. Louis Gravel (1842-1919), a French-Canadian politician who served as the Mayor of Québec City from 1897 to 1900.

The Gravel surname has been present in various regions of France, as well as in French-speaking areas of Canada, such as Quebec and parts of Ontario. Over time, variations in spelling, including Gravelle, Gravell, and Gravelle, have emerged, further reflecting the surname's evolution and geographical spread.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gravel

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

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 Gravel 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 Gravel 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 Gravel was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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