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

Needle, 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 Needle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Needle in America

Needle is the 30889th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Needle surname appeared 753 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 Needle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Needle 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 Needle

The surname NEEDLE is of English origin, derived from the occupational name for a maker or seller of needles. It likely emerged in the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century, when surnames based on occupations became increasingly common.

The earliest known record of the surname NEEDLE dates back to 1273 in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire, where it appears as "Richard le Nedlere." This early spelling variation highlights the connection to the Old English word "nædl," meaning "needle."

In the 14th century, the surname is found in various records, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a "Johannes Nedelere" is mentioned in 1348. The name also appears in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, with the spelling "Nedlere."

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname NEEDLE was John Needle, a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Norwich, England, who lived in the late 15th century (c. 1440-1505).

Another notable bearer of the NEEDLE surname was Sir John Needle (1610-1663), an English politician and lawyer who served as a Member of Parliament for Richmond, Yorkshire, during the English Civil War.

In the 17th century, the surname NEEDLE is found in various parish records across England, such as the marriage of William Needle and Anne Tompkins in St. Dunstan's, Stepney, in 1662.

The NEEDLE surname is also associated with the village of Needles, located on the Isle of Wight in Hampshire, England. While it is unclear if the village's name influenced the surname or vice versa, the connection between the two is noteworthy.

Other historical figures with the surname NEEDLE include:

1. Richard Needle (1588-1668), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Dean of Norwich.
2. Thomas Needle (1670-1745), a British naval officer and explorer who mapped parts of the Pacific Northwest coast of North America.
3. William Needle (1808-1885), an English chess player and writer, considered one of the strongest players of his time.
4. Henry Needle (1856-1919), an English architect known for his work on churches and public buildings in the Arts and Crafts style.
5. George Needle (1891-1958), a British trade union leader and politician who served as a Labour Member of Parliament.

While the surname NEEDLE is not among the most common in English-speaking countries, it has left its mark throughout history, reflecting the importance of the needle-making trade and the legacy of those who bore this occupational name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Needle

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

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

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

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