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

Jewel, 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 Jewel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jewel in America

Jewel is the 27845th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jewel surname appeared 862 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Jewel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jewel 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 Jewel

The surname Jewel originated in England and dates back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "jouel," meaning "jewel" or "precious stone." The name likely referred to someone who worked as a jeweler, jewel dealer, or someone who had a particular fondness for jewels.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jewel can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1195, where a person named William Juel is mentioned. The name was also recorded in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where a Richard Juel is listed.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Jewel, Juel, and Juelle. The variant spelling "Juelle" is found in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, where a person named John Juelle is recorded.

The Jewel surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was Sir John Jewel (c. 1522-1571), an English cleric and scholar who served as Bishop of Salisbury during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another prominent figure with the Jewel surname was Maria Jane Jewel (1788-1833), an English author and poet who wrote under the pen name Maria Jane Jewsbury. Her works included the novel "Phantasmagoria, or Sketches of Life and Literature" and the poetry collection "Lays of Leisure Hours."

In the 19th century, John Jewel (1835-1899) was an English architect and designer who worked on several notable buildings, including Keble College in Oxford and the Sheldonian Theatre.

A more recent bearer of the Jewel surname was Wanda Jewel (1912-1993), an American actress and singer who appeared in numerous films and television shows throughout the mid-20th century.

Another notable individual with the Jewel surname is Sarah Jewel (born 1975), an American singer-songwriter and author who achieved international fame with her debut album "Pieces of You" in 1995.

While the Jewel surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through immigration and migration. However, its origins can be traced back to the Old French word "jouel," reflecting its connection to the world of precious stones and jewelry.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jewel

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

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

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

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