2000
#32,939
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 656
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.24
Very Rare Last name
Kernodle
A locational surname derived from a place name in England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 885 Americans carry the last name Kernodle. That puts it at #32,025 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.26 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 387,293 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kernodle 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
885
1 in 387,293
Census rank
#32,025
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
772
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 772 bearers of the surname Kernodle in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.26 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 32025th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kernodle, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.3%. The next largest groups are Black (4.4%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kernodle
The surname Kernodle is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval era. It is believed to have originated in the county of Devon, where it was likely derived from a place name or a topographical feature.
One theory suggests that the name Kernodle may have its origins in the Old English words "cerne" and "dell," which together mean "the valley or dell near the quern or hand-mill." This would indicate that the earliest bearers of this surname resided in or near a valley where a hand-mill was located.
Another plausible explanation links the name to the Cornish word "kernou," meaning "little hill" or "hillock." In this case, the name could have been given to individuals who lived near a small hill or elevated area.
The earliest known record of the surname Kernodle dates back to the 13th century, when it was spelled as "Kernoddel" or "Kernodel." This variation in spelling was common during the Middle Ages, as standardized spelling conventions had not yet been established.
One notable individual bearing this surname was John Kernodle, who was born in Devon in 1548. He was a prominent landowner and served as a magistrate in his local community.
Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Kernodle (1620-1698), a successful merchant and Member of Parliament during the reign of King Charles II. He played a significant role in the development of trade relationships between England and the American colonies.
In the 18th century, Samuel Kernodle (1725-1799) was a respected clergyman and scholar who authored several theological works and served as the rector of a parish in Gloucestershire.
During the Victorian era, Emily Kernodle (1835-1912) gained recognition as a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded one of the first schools for girls in London and campaigned for equal educational opportunities.
In more recent history, the name Kernodle has been associated with notable individuals such as the American poet and academic, George Kernodle (1906-1987), whose works explored themes of rural life and Southern culture.
While the origins of the surname Kernodle can be traced back to medieval England, its bearers have left their mark across various fields and eras, contributing to the rich tapestry of history and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kernodle
Among Census respondents with the surname Kernodle, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.3%. The next largest groups are Black (4.4%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Kernodle 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 Kernodle surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.3% · 674
- Black or African American4.4% · 34
- Two or more races3.6% · 28
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 23
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 8
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kernodle
Kernodle 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
#28,650
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 832
+176 bearers (+26.8%)
Per 100,000 0.28
Rank movement Up 4,289 places
2020
#32,025
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 772
-60 bearers (-7.2%)
Per 100,000 0.26
Rank movement Down 3,375 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #32,939 | 656 | 0.24 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #28,650 | 832 | 0.28 | +176 bearers (+26.8%) | Up 4,289 places |
| 2020 | #32,025 | 772 | 0.26 | -60 bearers (-7.2%) | Down 3,375 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 Kernodle 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 | #28,650 | #32,025 | -11.8% |
| Count | 832 | 772 | -7.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.28 | 0.26 | -7.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kernodle bearers went from 832 to 772 (-7.2% change). The surname moved down 3,375 positions in the national ranking, going from #28,650 to #32,025.
FAQ
Kernodle surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kernodle?
Name Census estimates that about 885 living Americans carry the surname Kernodle. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 387,293 residents.
How common is Kernodle?
Kernodle ranks #32,025 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.26 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 772 people with the surname Kernodle. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (885), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.26 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.26 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Kernodle.
Has Kernodle become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kernodle went from 832 recorded bearers to 772. That is a decrease of 60 (-7.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #28,650 to #32,025.
What does the Census say about the background of Kernodle?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kernodle, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.3%. The next largest groups are Black (4.4%) and Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Kernodle in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.3% (674 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kernodle appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.3%), Black (4.4%), Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Kernodle (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 Kernodle mean?
A locational surname derived from a place name in England. 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 Kernodle (0.26 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 Kernodle?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.