2000
#11,385
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,538
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.94
Rare Last name
Ishmael
From the Hebrew name meaning "God will hear", referring to the biblical figure Ishmael, son of Abraham.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,125 Americans carry the last name Ishmael. That puts it at #11,113 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.91 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 109,681 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ishmael 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 Ishmael with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.1K
1 in 109,681
Census rank
#11,113
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,725 bearers of the surname Ishmael in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.91 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11113th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ishmael, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.9%. The next largest groups are Black (19.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (7.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ishmael
The surname Ishmael originates from the Hebrew name Yishma'el, meaning "God hears". It has its roots in the biblical figure Ishmael, the son of Abraham and Hagar, as depicted in the Book of Genesis. The name gained widespread recognition and usage among Jewish and Arab communities, eventually finding its way into various cultures and languages.
The earliest known historical references to the surname Ishmael can be traced back to the Middle Ages. In England, the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were records of landowners and their holdings. Variations of the spelling, such as Ismael and Ismayle, were also documented during this period.
In the 14th century, the surname Ishmael began appearing in various regions of France, particularly in the southern regions. Records from the city of Montpellier mention individuals with the surname Ishmael, indicating its presence in the area. Additionally, the name can be found in historical records from Italy and Spain during the same time period.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Ishmael was Sir John Ishmael (c. 1395-1459), a Welsh landowner and Member of Parliament for Carmarthenshire in 1421 and 1429. Another prominent figure was Sir Thomas Ishmael (c. 1450-1537), a Welsh judge and landowner who served as Chief Justice of Glamorgan.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Ishmael continued to be prominent in various parts of Europe. In England, the name was associated with several notable individuals, including John Ishmael (c. 1580-1650), a merchant and politician who served as Sheriff of London in 1630. Another notable figure was Edward Ishmael (c. 1620-1695), an English clergyman and author who wrote several theological works.
In France, the surname Ishmael was also present during this period. One notable individual was Jean Ishmael (c. 1610-1685), a French Protestant minister and scholar who authored several religious texts.
As the centuries progressed, the surname Ishmael continued to be found in various parts of the world, with individuals bearing the name making contributions in various fields, including literature, politics, and academia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ishmael
Among Census respondents with the surname Ishmael, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.9%. The next largest groups are Black (19.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (7.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Ishmael 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 Ishmael surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White63.9% · 1,741
- Black or African American19.0% · 518
- Asian and Pacific Islander7.4% · 202
- Two or more races5.7% · 155
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 75
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.2% · 34
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ishmael
Ishmael 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
#11,456
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,750
+212 bearers (+8.4%)
Per 100,000 0.93
Rank movement Down 71 places
2020
#11,113
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,725
-25 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.91
Rank movement Up 343 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,385 | 2,538 | 0.94 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,456 | 2,750 | 0.93 | +212 bearers (+8.4%) | Down 71 places |
| 2020 | #11,113 | 2,725 | 0.91 | -25 bearers (-0.9%) | Up 343 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 Ishmael 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 | #11,456 | #11,113 | 3.0% |
| Count | 2,750 | 2,725 | -0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.93 | 0.91 | -2.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ishmael bearers went from 2,750 to 2,725 (-0.9% change). The surname moved up 343 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,456 to #11,113.
FAQ
Ishmael surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ishmael?
Name Census estimates that about 3,125 living Americans carry the surname Ishmael. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 109,681 residents.
How common is Ishmael?
Ishmael ranks #11,113 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.91 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,725 people with the surname Ishmael. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,125), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.91 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.91 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Ishmael.
Has Ishmael become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ishmael went from 2,750 recorded bearers to 2,725. That is a decrease of 25 (-0.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #11,456 to #11,113.
What does the Census say about the background of Ishmael?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ishmael, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.9%. The next largest groups are Black (19.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (7.4%). 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 Ishmael in the 2020 Census, accounting for 63.9% (1,741 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ishmael appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (63.9%), Black (19.0%), Asian/Pacific Islander (7.4%). 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 Ishmael (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 Ishmael mean?
From the Hebrew name meaning "God will hear", referring to the biblical figure Ishmael, son of Abraham. 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 Ishmael (0.91 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 common is the surname Ishmael?
See how many people have the last name Ishmael on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.