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

Kroll, 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 Kroll surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kroll in America

Kroll is the 3253rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kroll surname appeared 11,098 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Kroll.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kroll 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 Kroll

The surname Kroll is of German origin, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the German word "Kroll," which means "curl" or "curly-haired." This suggests that the name was initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone with curly hair.

The earliest recorded instances of the Kroll surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Germany, including Bavaria and Saxony. In the 14th century, the name appeared in manuscripts and records from various towns and villages across the German states.

One of the earliest known references to the Kroll name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the Margraviate of Brandenburg, dated around 1350. This document mentions a certain "Johannes Kroll" as a landowner in the region.

In the 15th century, the Kroll surname gained prominence in the city of Nuremberg, where several individuals bearing the name were recorded as merchants and tradesmen. One notable example is Hans Kroll, a successful merchant and member of the city council in Nuremberg, who lived from 1432 to 1498.

As the name spread across different regions of Germany, it also took on various spellings and variations, such as Krol, Kröll, and Kröhl. These variations were influenced by local dialects and regional variations in the pronunciation of the name.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Kroll surname continued to appear in various German states, including Bavaria, Saxony, and Württemberg. One notable figure from this period is Johann Georg Kroll, a Protestant theologian and author born in Nuremberg in 1582, who wrote several influential works on religious topics.

In the 18th century, the Kroll surname gained prominence in the field of education, with Johann David Kroll (1682-1758), a German educator and author, who published several books on pedagogy and teaching methods.

As the name spread beyond Germany, it also found its way into other European countries, such as the Netherlands and Poland. One example is the Polish-German composer and pianist, Franz Kroll (1820-1877), who was born in Warsaw and achieved significant recognition for his compositions and performances.

Throughout history, the Kroll surname has been associated with various professions, including merchants, tradesmen, theologians, educators, and artists. While the name may have originated as a descriptive nickname, it has since become a well-established surname with a rich heritage and a strong presence across different regions and cultures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kroll

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

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

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

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