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

Miracle, 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 Miracle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Miracle in America

Miracle is the 5525th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Miracle surname appeared 6,291 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Miracle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Miracle 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 Miracle

The surname Miracle is of English origin, and is believed to have first appeared in the late 16th or early 17th century. It is thought to have originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who performed or was associated with miracles or miraculous events.

One theory suggests that the name may have been derived from the Old French word "miracle," which itself came from the Latin "miraculum," meaning "an extraordinary or supernatural event." It is possible that the name was initially given to individuals who were believed to have witnessed or been involved in miraculous occurrences.

Another possible origin of the name is that it may have been a reference to the medieval mystery plays, which often depicted biblical miracles and were a popular form of entertainment during that time. Individuals who performed or were involved in the production of these plays could have been referred to as "miracles" or "miracle-makers."

The earliest recorded use of the surname Miracle dates back to the late 16th century. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Miracle, who was born in London in 1587. Another early record is of William Miracle, who was baptized in the parish of St. Giles, Cripplegate, London, in 1609.

In the 17th century, the name Miracle appeared in various parts of England, including Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Somerset. Some notable individuals with this surname from this period include Thomas Miracle (1630-1692), a minister and author from Somerset, and John Miracle (1655-1718), a wealthy merchant from Bristol.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Miracle surname spread to other parts of the British Isles and beyond. One notable bearer of the name was Samuel Miracle (1745-1823), a Methodist minister and author from County Armagh, Ireland. Another was James Miracle (1770-1849), a British sailor and navigator who explored the Pacific Northwest region of North America.

Other notable individuals with the surname Miracle include John Miracle (1837-1916), an American Civil War veteran and politician from Ohio, and Mary Miracle (1884-1975), an American nurse and educator who worked to improve healthcare in rural areas of Kentucky.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Miracle

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

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 Miracle 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 Miracle 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 Miracle was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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