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

Loyal, 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 Loyal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Loyal in America

Loyal is the 38332nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Loyal surname appeared 578 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 Loyal.

We can also compare 2010 data for Loyal 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 Loyal

The surname LOYAL originated in England during the Middle Ages, likely derived from the Old French word "loial" meaning "loyal" or "faithful." It was initially used as a descriptive surname, given to individuals who were perceived as steadfastly loyal, perhaps to a feudal lord or to the crown.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the LOYAL surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a 13th-century census document compiled in 1273. This record mentions a John Loyal, suggesting the name was already in use by that time.

Another early reference to the LOYAL surname appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex, a tax record dating back to 1327. This document lists a William Loyal as a taxpayer in the county of Sussex.

During the medieval period, the LOYAL surname was also found in various spellings, such as Loyall, Loyale, and Loiall, reflecting the evolution of the English language and variations in regional dialects.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the LOYAL surname, including:

1. Sir William Loyal (c. 1450-1515), a prominent English soldier and courtier who served under King Henry VII and King Henry VIII.

2. John Loyal (1580-1654), an English clergyman and author who published several religious works during the 17th century.

3. Mary Loyal (1635-1714), an English Quaker minister and writer who advocated for religious tolerance and social reform.

4. Thomas Loyal (1683-1762), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.

5. Elizabeth Loyal (1765-1829), a British philanthropist and social reformer who established several charitable organizations to assist the poor and disadvantaged.

The LOYAL surname has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Loyal Hill in Kent and Loyal Farm in Gloucestershire, suggesting possible ties between the name and specific geographic locations.

While the LOYAL surname may have originated as a descriptive epithet, over time it became established as a hereditary surname, passed down through generations and dispersed across different regions of England and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Loyal

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

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

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

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