2000
#3,424
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,568
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.55
Uncommon Last name
Martell
A French occupational surname referring to a hammer maker or wielder.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 12,146 Americans carry the last name Martell. That puts it at #3,331 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.54 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 28,220 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Martell 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Martell with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
12K
1 in 28,220
Census rank
#3,331
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
11K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,592 bearers of the surname Martell in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.54 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3331st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Martell, the largest self-reported group is White at 60.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (30.5%) and Two or More Races (3.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Martell
The surname Martell originated in France, with its earliest known bearers tracing their roots back to the Normandy region during the medieval era. The name is derived from the Latin word "martellus," meaning "little hammer," suggesting that the first bearers of this name may have been blacksmiths or metalworkers.
The earliest recorded instance of the Martell surname dates back to the 11th century, when it appeared in the historic Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and tenants commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This document mentions individuals bearing the surname Martell residing in various parts of Normandy and neighboring regions.
During the Middle Ages, the Martell family gained prominence and established themselves as influential landowners and noblemen. One notable figure from this period was Jean Martell, a French knight who participated in the Crusades and fought valiantly in the Battle of Ascalon in 1099. He was renowned for his bravery and skill on the battlefield.
As the centuries passed, the Martell name spread across France and beyond. In the 17th century, a branch of the family established the renowned Martell Cognac House in the town of Cognac, in the Charente region of southwestern France. The Martell Cognac House quickly gained a reputation for producing high-quality brandies and became one of the most prestigious Cognac producers in the world.
Another prominent figure bearing the Martell surname was Gédéon Martell (1683-1761), a French merchant and founder of the Martell Cognac House. His entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to quality helped establish the brand's global reputation, which continues to this day.
In the realm of literature, one cannot overlook the contributions of Alphonse de Lamartine (1790-1869), a French writer, poet, and statesman who played a pivotal role in the French Romantic movement. Although his surname was not Martell, he was born Alphonse Marie Louis de Prat de Lamartine, and his mother's maiden name was Martell.
Throughout history, the Martell surname has been associated with various notable individuals, including Pierre Martell (1633-1711), a French Jesuit missionary who traveled to China and contributed to the understanding of Chinese culture and language in the West, and Jean-Henri Martell (1641-1728), a French naval commander who served under Louis XIV and played a significant role in several military campaigns.
These are just a few examples of the rich history and legacy associated with the surname Martell, a name that has left an indelible mark across various fields, from military and literature to commerce and exploration.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Martell
Among Census respondents with the surname Martell, the largest self-reported group is White at 60.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (30.5%) and Two or More Races (3.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Martell 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 Martell surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White60.9% · 6,454
- Hispanic or Latino30.5% · 3,229
- Two or more races3.2% · 340
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.7% · 286
- Black or African American1.9% · 199
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 84
Timeline
Historical Census data for Martell
Martell 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
#3,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,158
+1,590 bearers (+16.6%)
Per 100,000 3.78
Rank movement Up 190 places
2020
#3,331
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,592
-566 bearers (-5.1%)
Per 100,000 3.54
Rank movement Down 97 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,424 | 9,568 | 3.55 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,234 | 11,158 | 3.78 | +1,590 bearers (+16.6%) | Up 190 places |
| 2020 | #3,331 | 10,592 | 3.54 | -566 bearers (-5.1%) | Down 97 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 Martell 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 | #3,234 | #3,331 | -3.0% |
| Count | 11,158 | 10,592 | -5.1% |
| Per 100K | 3.78 | 3.54 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Martell bearers went from 11,158 to 10,592 (-5.1% change). The surname moved down 97 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,234 to #3,331.
FAQ
Martell surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Martell?
Name Census estimates that about 12,146 living Americans carry the surname Martell. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 28,220 residents.
How common is Martell?
Martell ranks #3,331 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.54 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,592 people with the surname Martell. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (12,146), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.54 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.54 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Martell.
Has Martell become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Martell went from 11,158 recorded bearers to 10,592. That is a decrease of 566 (-5.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,234 to #3,331.
What does the Census say about the background of Martell?
Among Census respondents with the surname Martell, the largest self-reported group is White at 60.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (30.5%) and Two or More Races (3.2%). 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 Martell in the 2020 Census, accounting for 60.9% (6,454 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Martell appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (60.9%), Hispanic (30.5%), Two or More Races (3.2%). 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 Martell (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 Martell mean?
A French occupational surname referring to a hammer maker or wielder. 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 Martell (3.54 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 are called Martell?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Martell on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.