2000
#147,095
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Merold
A variant of the medieval surname Merall, likely derived from the English place name Merall or Merall Manor.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Merold. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Merold 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Merold in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Merold, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Hispanic (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Merold
The surname MEROLD is believed to have originated in Germany, likely during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old High German word "marahald," which translates to "famous leader" or "illustrious ruler." This name may have been bestowed upon someone who held a prominent position of authority within their community.
In the 12th century, the name MEROLD appeared in official records and manuscripts from the region of Bavaria, indicating that it was in use during that time. One notable early reference to the name can be found in the Codex Traditionum Monasterii Reichenbacensis, a cartulary from the Benedictine monastery of Reichenbach am Regen, which dates back to around 1150.
The earliest recorded individual with the surname MEROLD was Hermannus Merold, who was mentioned in a document from the city of Mainz in 1287. Another early bearer of the name was Konrad Merold, a citizen of Nuremberg in the 14th century, as recorded in the city's municipal archives.
During the Late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the MEROLD surname was particularly prevalent in the German states of Bavaria, Saxony, and Württemberg. In the 16th century, a notable figure named Hans Merold (1509-1582) was a prominent merchant and banker in the city of Augsburg, known for his wealth and influence.
Another individual of note was Johannes Merold (1618-1675), a Lutheran theologian and author from Saxony, who published several works on religious subjects. In the 18th century, the composer and organist Johann Valentin Merold (1732-1804) was active in the court of the Prince-Bishopric of Bamberg.
One of the earliest recorded places associated with the MEROLD name is the village of Meroldsmühle, located in the district of Reutlingen, Baden-Württemberg. This settlement likely derived its name from an early resident or landowner with the surname MEROLD, indicating the name's long-standing presence in that region.
Throughout history, the MEROLD surname has undergone various spelling variations, such as Merolt, Meroldt, and Mehrold, reflecting regional dialects and scribal practices of the time. Despite these variations, the name has retained its distinct Germanic roots and connection to its ancient origins as a designation of leadership and authority.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Merold
Among Census respondents with the surname Merold, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Hispanic (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Merold 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 Merold surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.7% · 110
- Two or more races4.2% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 4
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Merold
Merold 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
#147,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+9 bearers (+8.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 158 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+8 bearers (+7.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,204 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #147,095 | 103 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.7%) | Down 158 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+7.1%) | Up 5,204 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 Merold 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 | #147,253 | #142,049 | 3.5% |
| Count | 112 | 120 | 7.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Merold bearers went from 112 to 120 (+7.1% change). The surname moved up 5,204 positions in the national ranking, going from #147,253 to #142,049.
FAQ
Merold surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Merold?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Merold. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Merold?
Merold ranks #142,049 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 120 people with the surname Merold. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), 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 Merold.
Has Merold become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Merold went from 112 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 8 (+7.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #147,253 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Merold?
Among Census respondents with the surname Merold, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Hispanic (3.3%). 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 Merold in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.7% (110 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Merold appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.7%), Two or More Races (4.2%), Hispanic (3.3%). 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 Merold (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 Merold mean?
A variant of the medieval surname Merall, likely derived from the English place name Merall or Merall Manor. 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 Merold (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 common is the surname Merold?
If you just want to know how many people are called Merold, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.