2000
#3,367
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,709
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.60
Uncommon Last name
Isbell
An English occupational surname for a bell founder or bell ringer, derived from the Old English "ísenbella".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 10,589 Americans carry the last name Isbell. That puts it at #3,743 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 32,369 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Isbell 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Isbell with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
11K
1 in 32,369
Census rank
#3,743
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
9.2K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 9,234 bearers of the surname Isbell in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3743rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Isbell, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.2%. The next largest groups are Black (5.5%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Isbell
The surname Isbell is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. Derived from the Old English word "Isebell," which means "iron bell," the name initially referred to individuals who were responsible for ringing church bells or maintaining them.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Isbell surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Isebell" in the county of Gloucestershire. This historical document provides valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of surnames during the Norman conquest of England.
As the surname evolved over time, various spellings emerged, including Isebell, Isbell, Isbel, and Isebel. These variations can be attributed to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping during that era. The name was particularly concentrated in the counties of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Herefordshire.
One notable individual bearing the Isbell surname was Sir John Isbell (1538-1612), a prominent English landowner and member of parliament for Gloucestershire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. His estate, Isbell Manor, located in the village of Kemerton, remains a testament to the family's influence and legacy.
Another significant figure in history was Richard Isbell (1672-1744), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Islington, London. He is best remembered for his influential theological writings, including "A Vindication of the Church of England" and "The Reasonableness of Christianity."
In the literary realm, Elizabeth Isbell (1809-1884) gained recognition as a prolific writer and poet in the 19th century. Her works, which often explored themes of nature and spirituality, were widely published in various literary journals and anthologies of her time.
The Isbell surname also found its way across the Atlantic Ocean, with notable individuals such as John Isbell (1775-1857), an American pioneer and farmer who played a significant role in the early settlement of Tennessee. His descendants went on to establish the town of Isbell, Tennessee, further solidifying the family's presence in the region.
Throughout history, the Isbell surname has been associated with various occupations, from landowners and clergymen to authors and pioneers, reflecting the diverse paths taken by those who bore this name. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the Isbell surname has left an indelible mark on various aspects of society, both in the Old World and the New.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Isbell
Among Census respondents with the surname Isbell, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.2%. The next largest groups are Black (5.5%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Isbell 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 Isbell surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.2% · 7,866
- Black or African American5.5% · 510
- Two or more races4.0% · 373
- Hispanic or Latino3.9% · 362
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 79
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 44
Timeline
Historical Census data for Isbell
Isbell 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
#3,594
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,905
+196 bearers (+2.0%)
Per 100,000 3.36
Rank movement Down 227 places
2020
#3,743
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,234
-671 bearers (-6.8%)
Per 100,000 3.09
Rank movement Down 149 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,367 | 9,709 | 3.60 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,594 | 9,905 | 3.36 | +196 bearers (+2.0%) | Down 227 places |
| 2020 | #3,743 | 9,234 | 3.09 | -671 bearers (-6.8%) | Down 149 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 Isbell 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 | #3,594 | #3,743 | -4.1% |
| Count | 9,905 | 9,234 | -6.8% |
| Per 100K | 3.36 | 3.09 | -8.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Isbell bearers went from 9,905 to 9,234 (-6.8% change). The surname moved down 149 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,594 to #3,743.
FAQ
Isbell surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Isbell?
Name Census estimates that about 10,589 living Americans carry the surname Isbell. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 32,369 residents.
How common is Isbell?
Isbell ranks #3,743 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.09 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 9,234 people with the surname Isbell. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (10,589), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.09 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.09 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Isbell.
Has Isbell become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Isbell went from 9,905 recorded bearers to 9,234. That is a decrease of 671 (-6.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,594 to #3,743.
What does the Census say about the background of Isbell?
Among Census respondents with the surname Isbell, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.2%. The next largest groups are Black (5.5%) and Two or More Races (4.0%). 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 Isbell in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.2% (7,866 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Isbell appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.2%), Black (5.5%), Two or More Races (4.0%). 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 Isbell (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 Isbell mean?
An English occupational surname for a bell founder or bell ringer, derived from the Old English "ísenbella". 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 Isbell (3.09 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 people have the last name Isbell?
If you just want to know how many people have the last name Isbell, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.