Mallet
A French occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of mallets or wooden hammers.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,331 Americans carry the last name Mallet. That puts it at #14,838 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.68 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 147,042 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mallet surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
2.3K
1 in 147,042
Census rank
#14,838
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,997 bearers of the surname Mallet in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.68 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14838th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mallet, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.2%. The next largest groups are Black (25.8%) and Hispanic (4.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mallet
The surname Mallet is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "mallet," which means "small mallet" or "hammer." The name can be traced back to the 11th century in the region of Normandy, France.
In the Middle Ages, the name Mallet was likely an occupational surname given to individuals who worked as carpenters, blacksmiths, or other tradesmen who used a small mallet or hammer as part of their profession. It is also possible that the name was given as a nickname to someone with a strong, forceful personality or manner.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Mallet can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and their properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Mallet" in various entries, indicating that individuals bearing this surname were present in England shortly after the Norman Conquest.
In the 13th century, the name Mallet appeared in various records and manuscripts, such as the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which documented the holders of land and their tenants in England. During this time, the name was also associated with several notable individuals, including Sir Walter Mallet (born c. 1265), a prominent English knight and landowner.
The Mallet surname continued to spread throughout England and other parts of Europe in the following centuries. One notable figure was Robert Mallet (c. 1510-1567), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of comets and planetary motion.
Another prominent individual with the Mallet surname was Claude-François de Mallet (1711-1785), a Swiss-born French writer and philosopher who was a member of the French Academy and played a crucial role in the Enlightenment movement.
In the 19th century, the Mallet family was well-established in England, with several members achieving distinction in various fields. One such individual was Sir Louis Mallet (1823-1890), a British civil servant and diplomat who served as Under-Secretary of State for India and later as Ambassador to Turkey.
Another notable figure from this period was Robert Mallet (1810-1881), an Irish physicist and engineer who made significant contributions to the study of earthquakes and seismology. He is considered one of the founders of modern seismological research.
As the centuries passed, the Mallet surname continued to spread across various regions, with individuals bearing this name making their mark in various fields, from literature and the arts to politics and science.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mallet
Among Census respondents with the surname Mallet, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.2%. The next largest groups are Black (25.8%) and Hispanic (4.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Mallet bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Mallet surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White67.2%
- Black or African American25.8%
- Hispanic or Latino4.9%
- Two or more races1.2%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Mallet surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,838 | #14,838 | 0.0% |
| Count | 1,997 | 1,997 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.68 | 0.68 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Mallet bearers went from 1,997 to 1,997 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #14,838 to #14,838.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Mallet
FAQ
Mallet surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Mallet?
The surname Mallet holds position #14,838 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 2,331 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.68 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Mallet surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mallet, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.2%. The next largest groups are Black (25.8%) and Hispanic (4.9%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.