2000
#131,366
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Machol
A surname derived from a Jewish slang term for "camp follower" or "prostitute".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Machol. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Machol 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
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Machol in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Machol, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.3%. The next largest groups are Black (9.1%) and Two or More Races (5.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Machol
The surname Machol is believed to have originated in Central Europe, specifically in the region of Poland and surrounding areas. It is thought to be derived from the Slavic word "mach," which translates to "wave" or "swing." This connection suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a wavy or undulating body of water, or perhaps someone who was a skilled boatman or fisherman.
The earliest known records of the Machol surname date back to the 14th century, with mentions found in various Polish chronicles and municipal records. One notable example is a reference to a Jakub Machol, who was a landowner and farmer in the village of Krakow in the late 1300s.
In the 16th century, the name appears in the Prussian census of 1539, with several families bearing the Machol surname listed as residents of the city of Gdansk (formerly known as Danzig). This indicates that the name had spread from its probable origins in Poland to other parts of Central and Eastern Europe during this time period.
Throughout the centuries, the Machol surname has been subject to various spelling variations, including Macholl, Machöl, and Machoł. These variations often reflect regional dialect differences or variations in the way the name was transcribed and recorded by scribes and clerks.
One notable figure in history who bore the Machol surname was Jan Machol (1592-1673), a Polish theologian and philosopher who served as rector of the University of Krakow in the mid-17th century. He was a prominent figure in the intellectual circles of his time and contributed to the advancement of education and scholarship in Poland.
Another individual of historical significance was Katarzyna Machol (1745-1811), a Polish noblewoman and philanthropist who founded several schools and orphanages in her native region. She was known for her dedication to charitable causes and her efforts to improve the lives of the less fortunate.
In the 19th century, the Machol surname can be found in various records and documents from across Central and Eastern Europe, including the birth and marriage records of families in regions such as Silesia, Pomerania, and Galicia.
One notable bearer of the Machol name during this period was Franciszek Machol (1819-1892), a Polish painter and artist who gained recognition for his landscapes and portraits. His works can be found in several museums and galleries across Poland and other parts of Europe.
Another individual of note was Karolina Machol (1871-1945), a Polish educator and women's rights activist who advocated for equal educational opportunities for girls and women in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She founded several schools and organizations dedicated to advancing the cause of women's education and empowerment.
While the Machol surname may have originated in Central Europe, it has since spread to various parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, its roots can be traced back to the Slavic regions of Poland and neighboring areas, where it has a rich history spanning several centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Machol
Among Census respondents with the surname Machol, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.3%. The next largest groups are Black (9.1%) and Two or More Races (5.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Machol 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 Machol surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.3% · 102
- Black or African American9.1% · 11
- Two or more races5.8% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Machol
Machol 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
#126,765
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 135
+16 bearers (+13.4%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 4,601 places
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
-14 bearers (-10.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 14,544 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #131,366 | 119 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #126,765 | 135 | 0.05 | +16 bearers (+13.4%) | Up 4,601 places |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | -14 bearers (-10.4%) | Down 14,544 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 Machol 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 | #126,765 | #141,309 | -11.5% |
| Count | 135 | 121 | -10.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -19.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Machol bearers went from 135 to 121 (-10.4% change). The surname moved down 14,544 positions in the national ranking, going from #126,765 to #141,309.
FAQ
Machol surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Machol?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Machol. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Machol?
Machol ranks #141,309 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 121 people with the surname Machol. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Machol.
Has Machol become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Machol went from 135 recorded bearers to 121. That is a decrease of 14 (-10.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #126,765 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Machol?
Among Census respondents with the surname Machol, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.3%. The next largest groups are Black (9.1%) and Two or More Races (5.8%). 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 Machol in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.3% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Machol appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.3%), Black (9.1%), Two or More Races (5.8%). 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 Machol (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 Machol mean?
A surname derived from a Jewish slang term for "camp follower" or "prostitute". 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 Machol (0.04 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 Machol?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.