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

Neals, 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 Neals surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Neals in America

Neals is the 40371st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Neals surname appeared 542 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 Neals.

We can also compare 2010 data for Neals 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 Neals

The surname "Neals" is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the northern counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "nael," meaning "a promontory" or "a headland." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive term used to identify individuals who lived near a prominent headland or cliff.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de Nales." This suggests that the name was already established in certain regions of England by the late 11th century. Over time, various spellings emerged, including "Nayle," "Neile," and "Neale," reflecting regional dialects and the evolving nature of language.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the name was Sir Thomas de Nale, a knight who served under King Edward I during the Scottish Wars of Independence. Another early record is that of William Nele, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1327.

During the 16th century, the surname gained prominence in the county of Lancashire, where it was associated with several notable individuals. One example is Sir Thomas Neale (1519-1590), a prominent lawyer and member of the English Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the Neals family established roots in the town of Wigan, Lancashire. John Neale (1640-1718), a renowned Puritan minister and author, was born in Wigan and went on to serve as the chaplain to the Duke of Monmouth.

As the name spread across England, it was also adopted in other regions, such as Oxfordshire, where the village of Neale near Henley-on-Thames likely derived its name from the surname. One notable figure from this area was John Mason Neale (1818-1866), a renowned Anglican priest, scholar, and hymn writer.

Other historical figures bearing the surname include Sir John Neale (1637-1695), an English lawyer and judge; James Neale (1722-1805), a British architect and surveyor; and Sir John Neale (1744-1826), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

While the surname has undergone various spellings over the centuries, the core meaning and origins can be traced back to the Old English word "nael," reflecting the geographic connections and descriptive nature of many surnames in the British Isles.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Neals

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

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

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

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