2000
#118,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 135
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Navel
A topographic surname referring to someone living near a low-lying area or valley.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Navel. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Navel 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Navel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Navel, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (21.2%) and Black (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Navel
The surname NAVEL is believed to have originated in England, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "nafela," which means "navel" or "belly button." This name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone with a prominent navel or perhaps a large belly.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname NAVEL can be found in historical documents and records from various parts of England, such as the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1230, which mention a Robert Navel. Another early record is the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, which includes a John Navel.
In terms of place names and older spellings, the surname NAVEL has been associated with locations like Navestock in Essex, which was formerly known as "Navestoch" or "Navistoc," potentially related to the surname's origin. Additionally, variations in spelling have included Navell, Navill, and Navil.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the surname NAVEL. One such person was William Navel, a merchant and alderman in the city of London during the 16th century. Another was John Navel (1515-1590), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield.
In the 17th century, there was Thomas Navel (1630-1692), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics. Notably, he worked with Sir Isaac Newton and corresponded with prominent figures like Gottfried Leibniz.
Moving into the 18th century, we find Nathaniel Navel (1720-1789), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. He was commended for his bravery and leadership in several notable battles.
Another individual of note was Mary Navel (1785-1860), a British author and poet who gained recognition for her works on moral and religious themes. Her poetry collections, such as "Hymns for Children" and "Poems on Moral and Sacred Subjects," were widely read during her lifetime.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Navel
Among Census respondents with the surname Navel, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (21.2%) and Black (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Navel 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 Navel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White71.2% · 84
- Hispanic or Latino21.2% · 25
- Black or African American2.5% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.5% · 3
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Navel
Navel 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
#127,494
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 134
-1 bearers (-0.7%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 8,540 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-16 bearers (-11.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 16,017 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #118,954 | 135 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #127,494 | 134 | 0.05 | -1 bearers (-0.7%) | Down 8,540 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -16 bearers (-11.9%) | Down 16,017 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 Navel 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 | #127,494 | #143,511 | -12.6% |
| Count | 134 | 118 | -11.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -21.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Navel bearers went from 134 to 118 (-11.9% change). The surname moved down 16,017 positions in the national ranking, going from #127,494 to #143,511.
FAQ
Navel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Navel?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Navel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Navel?
Navel ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Navel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Navel.
Has Navel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Navel went from 134 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 16 (-11.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #127,494 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Navel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Navel, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (21.2%) and Black (2.5%). 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 Navel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 71.2% (84 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Navel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (71.2%), Hispanic (21.2%), Black (2.5%). 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 Navel (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 Navel mean?
A topographic surname referring to someone living near a low-lying area or valley. 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 Navel (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 share the surname Navel?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.