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

Guel, 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 Guel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Guel in America

Guel is the 13795th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Guel surname appeared 2,192 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 Guel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Guel 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 Guel

The surname GUEL originated in France, specifically in the region of Languedoc, during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "guel," which means "to watch" or "to guard." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who worked as a watchman or a guard.

In the 12th century, the name GUEL appeared in various historical records, such as the Cartulaire de l'abbaye de Cluny, a collection of charters and deeds related to the Benedictine monastery of Cluny in Burgundy. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name was in 1198, when a certain Petrus Guel was mentioned as a witness in a land transaction.

The name GUEL was also found in the Livre des Fiefs, a medieval census book compiled in the 13th century, which listed the names of landowners and their fiefs. This suggests that some members of the GUEL family were landholders during that time period.

One notable individual bearing the surname GUEL was Jean Guel (c. 1365 - 1427), a French scholar and theologian who played a significant role in the Council of Constance, a major ecclesiastical council held between 1414 and 1418. He was known for his writings on theology and canon law.

Another historical figure with the surname GUEL was Arnaud Guel (c. 1480 - 1558), a French jurist and legal scholar from the town of Montpellier. He authored several treatises on Roman law and served as a counselor in the Parlement of Toulouse, one of the highest courts in France at the time.

In the 16th century, the name GUEL was also found in the region of Provence, where it was sometimes spelled as "Guelle." One notable bearer of this variant spelling was Claude Guelle (c. 1520 - 1591), a French poet and dramatist who was part of the literary circle known as the Pléiade.

During the 17th century, the surname GUEL was present in various parts of France, including the regions of Normandy and Brittany. One individual of note was Pierre Guel (1618 - 1699), a French priest and author who wrote several religious texts and served as a parish priest in the town of Dieppe.

Throughout history, the surname GUEL has been associated with various professions and social classes, from scholars and lawyers to landowners and clergy members. While its exact origins may be obscure, the name has left its mark on the historical records of France and beyond, reflecting the diverse experiences and contributions of those who bore it.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Guel

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

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

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

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