Find out how popular the last name Mettle is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Mettle.

Mettle, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Mettle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mettle in America

Mettle is the 144141st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mettle surname appeared 115 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Mettle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mettle to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Mettle

The surname Mettle originates from England, dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "mettil," which meant "having vigor or strength of spirit." The name was likely given as a nickname to individuals who displayed courage or resilience in their character.

In medieval times, surnames were often descriptive, reflecting a person's physical or personality traits. The name Mettle was probably first adopted by someone who embodied these qualities of fortitude and perseverance, and it then passed down through generations as a hereditary surname.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Mettle can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a census-like survey conducted in 1273-1274. The entry mentions a "William Mettle" residing in the village of Cottenham.

Another early reference to the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire from 1301, which lists a "Robert Mettle" as a taxpayer in the county.

During the 14th century, the name Mettle was also found in various records from the county of Somerset. In the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1327, a "John Mettle" is mentioned as a resident of the village of Bruton.

One notable individual bearing the surname Mettle was Sir Thomas Mettle (c. 1510-1585), a wealthy merchant and landowner from the city of Bristol. He served as the Mayor of Bristol in 1554 and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I for his contributions to the city's prosperity.

Another prominent figure was William Mettle (1638-1701), a Puritan minister and author from Devonshire. He wrote several influential religious works, including "The Christian's Daily Walk" and "The Heavenly Prospect."

In the 18th century, John Mettle (1723-1799) was a renowned architect who designed several churches and country estates in the Palladian style, particularly in the counties of Somerset and Gloucestershire.

During the Victorian era, Elizabeth Mettle (1820-1891) was a celebrated philanthropist and social reformer from London. She founded several charitable organizations aimed at improving the living conditions of the poor and advocating for women's rights.

Lastly, Sir Edward Mettle (1876-1947) was a British military officer who served with distinction in both World Wars. He was awarded the Victoria Cross, Britain's highest military honor, for his bravery during the Battle of the Somme in 1916.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mettle

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Mettle.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Mettle was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Mettle has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Mettle was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Mettle, please contact us.

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