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

Haile, 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 Haile surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Haile in America

Haile is the 5236th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Haile surname appeared 6,663 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Haile.

We can also compare 2010 data for Haile 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 Haile

The surname HAILE is believed to have originated in Ethiopia, where it is a common name among the Amhara people. The name is derived from the Amharic word "Haile," which means "power" or "might." It is thought to have first emerged as a surname during the medieval period of Ethiopia's history, potentially as early as the 13th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name HAILE can be found in the ancient Ge'ez manuscripts, which were written in the ancient Semitic language that predated Amharic. These manuscripts often referred to individuals with the title "Haile," indicating their status and authority within the Ethiopian Empire.

The name HAILE gained particular significance during the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie I, who ruled Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. Haile Selassie, whose full name was Tafari Makonnen Woldemikael Gudzadhi, was born in 1892 and is revered by Rastafarians as the returned messiah. His adoption of the name "Haile" upon his coronation as Emperor further solidified the name's association with power and leadership in Ethiopian culture.

Another notable figure in Ethiopian history with the surname HAILE was Ras Haile Maryam Redda, a prominent military leader and nobleman who lived in the late 19th century. He played a crucial role in the Ethio-Sudanese War of 1876-1877 and was known for his military prowess.

The surname HAILE has also been carried by prominent scholars and intellectuals, such as Haile Gerima, an Ethiopian filmmaker and writer born in 1946. Gerima is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the development of African cinema and has been recognized with numerous awards for his work.

Another individual with the surname HAILE who has left a lasting impact is Haile Gebrselassie, an Ethiopian long-distance runner born in 1973. Gebrselassie is widely considered one of the greatest distance runners of all time, holding multiple world records and winning numerous Olympic and World Championship medals throughout his illustrious career.

While the surname HAILE has its roots in Ethiopia, it has also been adopted by individuals of various backgrounds and nationalities, particularly those with ties to the Ethiopian diaspora or those who have embraced the Rastafarian faith, which holds Emperor Haile Selassie I in high regard.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Haile

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

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

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

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