2000
#5,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,264
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.32
Rare Last name
Ingalls
An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "Ing's nook" or "Ing's corner."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 7,078 Americans carry the last name Ingalls. That puts it at #5,450 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 48,425 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ingalls 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
7.1K
1 in 48,425
Census rank
#5,450
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,172 bearers of the surname Ingalls in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5450th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ingalls, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and Two or More Races (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ingalls
The surname Ingalls is of English origin, traced back to the early 13th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "ing," meaning a meadow or pasture, and the word "hall," referring to a large house or manor. It is believed that the name originated from a place name, likely referring to a person who lived near or owned a meadow or hall.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ingalls can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where it appears as "de Inggehale." This reference suggests that the name was associated with a specific location or manor during that time period.
In the 14th century, the name appears in various forms, including "Ingal," "Ingalle," and "Ingold," indicating variations in spelling and pronunciation. These variations were common in medieval times due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Ingalls began to spread across different regions of England, with records showing families bearing the surname in counties such as Norfolk, Suffolk, and Lincolnshire.
One notable individual with the surname Ingalls was Robert Ingalls, born in 1579 in Lincolnshire, England. He was one of the early settlers in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, arriving in America in 1628 and settling in Salem, Massachusetts.
Another prominent figure was Edmund Ingalls, born in 1598 in Lincolnshire. He was among the founders of Lynn, Massachusetts, and served as a respected member of the community, holding various positions of authority.
In the 18th century, the name Ingalls gained further recognition with the birth of Reverend John Ingalls in 1721 in Haverhill, Massachusetts. He was a renowned minister and played a significant role in the religious life of New England during his time.
As the Ingalls family spread across North America, they contributed to various fields, including politics, literature, and the arts. One notable figure was John James Ingalls, born in 1833 in Massachusetts. He served as a United States Senator from Kansas and was known for his oratorical skills and literary works.
Another prominent individual was Laura Ingalls Wilder, born in 1867 in Wisconsin. She was an acclaimed author best known for her series of children's books depicting life on the American frontier, including "Little House on the Prairie."
Throughout its history, the surname Ingalls has been associated with various places and individuals, reflecting its English roots and the diverse contributions of those who bore this name across different eras and locations.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ingalls
Among Census respondents with the surname Ingalls, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and Two or More Races (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Ingalls 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 Ingalls surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.4% · 5,700
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 179
- Two or more races2.4% · 148
- Black or African American1.4% · 87
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 41
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 17
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ingalls
Ingalls appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#5,394
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,453
+189 bearers (+3.0%)
Per 100,000 2.19
Rank movement Down 253 places
2020
#5,450
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,172
-281 bearers (-4.4%)
Per 100,000 2.06
Rank movement Down 56 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,141 | 6,264 | 2.32 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,394 | 6,453 | 2.19 | +189 bearers (+3.0%) | Down 253 places |
| 2020 | #5,450 | 6,172 | 2.06 | -281 bearers (-4.4%) | Down 56 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 Ingalls 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 | #5,394 | #5,450 | -1.0% |
| Count | 6,453 | 6,172 | -4.4% |
| Per 100K | 2.19 | 2.06 | -5.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ingalls bearers went from 6,453 to 6,172 (-4.4% change). The surname moved down 56 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,394 to #5,450.
FAQ
Ingalls surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ingalls?
Name Census estimates that about 7,078 living Americans carry the surname Ingalls. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 48,425 residents.
How common is Ingalls?
Ingalls ranks #5,450 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.06 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 6,172 people with the surname Ingalls. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (7,078), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.06 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Ingalls.
Has Ingalls become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ingalls went from 6,453 recorded bearers to 6,172. That is a decrease of 281 (-4.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #5,394 to #5,450.
What does the Census say about the background of Ingalls?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ingalls, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and Two or More Races (2.4%). 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 Ingalls in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.4% (5,700 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ingalls appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.4%), Hispanic (2.9%), Two or More Races (2.4%). 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 Ingalls (2000, 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 Ingalls mean?
An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "Ing's nook" or "Ing's corner." 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 Ingalls (2.06 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 Americans have the surname Ingalls?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.