2000
#6,147
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,131
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.90
Rare Last name
Kell
A topographic surname for someone who lived near a spring or well, derived from Old English "keld".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,374 Americans carry the last name Kell. That puts it at #6,912 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.57 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 63,780 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kell 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 Kell with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.4K
1 in 63,780
Census rank
#6,912
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,686 bearers of the surname Kell in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.57 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6912th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kell, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kell
The surname Kell is thought to have originated in England and dates back to the late 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "col" or "col-le", meaning a charcoal-burner or someone who worked with charcoal or coal. The name may have also been derived from a Middle English word "kell", meaning a kiln or oven used for drying hops or malt in the process of brewing beer.
The earliest recorded examples of the surname Kell can be found in various county records and tax rolls from the 13th and 14th centuries. In 1273, a Robert Kell was listed in the Huntingdonshire Hundred Rolls, while a John Kelle was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir John Kell (c. 1315-1381), a nobleman and landowner from Northamptonshire. He served as a Member of Parliament for the county in 1349 and held several influential positions during the reign of Edward III.
In the 16th century, the surname Kell was also associated with various place names in England, such as Kellbrook in Derbyshire and Kelle's Green in Hertfordshire. These place names may have originated from individuals bearing the Kell surname who once lived or owned land in those areas.
Another notable figure was Richard Kell (1587-1639), an English clergyman and author who served as the Dean of Peterborough Cathedral. He published several works on religious subjects and was a prominent figure in the Church of England during the reign of Charles I.
During the 17th century, the Kell surname was found in various parts of England, with records showing individuals bearing the name in counties such as Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Wiltshire. One example is Thomas Kell (1628-1708), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Yorkshire, who served as the Mayor of Hull in 1678.
In the 18th century, the name Kell was also present in Scotland, with records showing individuals bearing the surname in areas such as Aberdeenshire and Inverness-shire. One notable figure from this period was John Kell (1740-1821), a Scottish physician and botanist who made significant contributions to the study of plant life in Scotland.
Throughout history, the surname Kell has been associated with various professions and backgrounds, from noblemen and landowners to clergymen, merchants, and academics. While the name may have originated from humble beginnings related to charcoal-burning or brewing, it has since become a part of the rich tapestry of English and Scottish genealogy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kell
Among Census respondents with the surname Kell, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Kell 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 Kell surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.8% · 4,257
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 162
- Two or more races3.3% · 155
- Black or African American1.4% · 64
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 28
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 20
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kell
Kell 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
#7,298
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,568
-563 bearers (-11.0%)
Per 100,000 1.55
Rank movement Down 1,151 places
2020
#6,912
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,686
+118 bearers (+2.6%)
Per 100,000 1.57
Rank movement Up 386 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,147 | 5,131 | 1.90 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,298 | 4,568 | 1.55 | -563 bearers (-11.0%) | Down 1,151 places |
| 2020 | #6,912 | 4,686 | 1.57 | +118 bearers (+2.6%) | Up 386 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 Kell 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 | #7,298 | #6,912 | 5.3% |
| Count | 4,568 | 4,686 | 2.6% |
| Per 100K | 1.55 | 1.57 | 1.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kell bearers went from 4,568 to 4,686 (+2.6% change). The surname moved up 386 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,298 to #6,912.
FAQ
Kell surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kell?
Name Census estimates that about 5,374 living Americans carry the surname Kell. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 63,780 residents.
How common is Kell?
Kell ranks #6,912 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.57 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 4,686 people with the surname Kell. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,374), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.57 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.57 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 Kell.
Has Kell become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kell went from 4,568 recorded bearers to 4,686. That is an increase of 118 (+2.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,298 to #6,912.
What does the Census say about the background of Kell?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kell, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (3.3%). 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 Kell in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.8% (4,257 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kell appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.8%), Hispanic (3.5%), Two or More Races (3.3%). 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 Kell (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 Kell mean?
A topographic surname for someone who lived near a spring or well, derived from Old English "keld". 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 Kell (1.57 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 share the surname Kell?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.