2000
#118,236
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 136
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Marselle
A surname deriving from a place name in France.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Marselle. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Marselle 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Marselle in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Marselle, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.2%. The next largest groups are Black (6.0%) and Hispanic (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Marselle
The surname Marselle originated in France during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the French word "marcelle," which means "marsh" or "swamp." This suggests that the name may have originated from someone who lived near a marshy area or had a connection to such a landscape.
The earliest recorded instances of the Marselle surname can be traced back to the 12th century in the northern regions of France, particularly in the areas around Paris and Normandy. The name was likely adopted by families who resided or owned lands near marshlands or swampy terrains.
In the 13th century, the Marselle name appeared in several historical records, including the Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, a medieval manuscript that documented land transactions and property records in the region. This suggests that the Marselle family held a certain social status and owned properties during that time.
One of the earliest known bearers of the Marselle surname was Jean Marselle, a merchant who lived in Rouen, Normandy, in the late 14th century. He is mentioned in several trade documents from that period, indicating his involvement in the thriving commerce of the region.
Another notable individual was Étienne Marselle, a skilled artisan and sculptor who lived in Paris during the 15th century. His works can still be found adorning several churches and cathedrals in the city, including Notre-Dame Cathedral.
In the 16th century, the Marselle name gained prominence with the arrival of Jacques Marselle, a renowned scholar and philosopher from Reims. He authored several influential works on ethics and moral philosophy, contributing to the intellectual discourse of his time.
During the 17th century, Marie Marselle, a nun from Burgundy, gained recognition for her dedication to charitable works and her efforts in establishing orphanages and schools for underprivileged children.
In more recent times, one of the most notable individuals with the Marselle surname was Henri Marselle, a French military officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. He was born in 1785 and fought in several major battles, earning numerous honors and distinctions for his bravery and leadership.
While the Marselle surname has its roots in France, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, the historical records and examples mentioned above showcase the rich heritage and significance of this name throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Marselle
Among Census respondents with the surname Marselle, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.2%. The next largest groups are Black (6.0%) and Hispanic (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Marselle 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 Marselle surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.2% · 102
- Black or African American6.0% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 4
- Two or more races3.4% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Marselle
Marselle 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
#128,249
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 133
-3 bearers (-2.2%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 10,013 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
-16 bearers (-12.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 16,021 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #118,236 | 136 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #128,249 | 133 | 0.05 | -3 bearers (-2.2%) | Down 10,013 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | -16 bearers (-12.0%) | Down 16,021 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 Marselle 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 | #128,249 | #144,270 | -12.5% |
| Count | 133 | 117 | -12.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -21.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Marselle bearers went from 133 to 117 (-12.0% change). The surname moved down 16,021 positions in the national ranking, going from #128,249 to #144,270.
FAQ
Marselle surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Marselle?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Marselle. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Marselle?
Marselle ranks #144,270 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 117 people with the surname Marselle. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), 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 Marselle.
Has Marselle become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Marselle went from 133 recorded bearers to 117. That is a decrease of 16 (-12.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #128,249 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Marselle?
Among Census respondents with the surname Marselle, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.2%. The next largest groups are Black (6.0%) and Hispanic (3.4%). 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 Marselle in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.2% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Marselle appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.2%), Black (6.0%), Hispanic (3.4%). 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 Marselle (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 Marselle mean?
A surname deriving from a place name in France. 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 Marselle (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 people have the last name Marselle?
See how many people are called Marselle on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.