2000
#4,629
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,007
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.60
Rare Last name
Neel
A surname of Irish origin, derived from "Ó Néill," meaning "descendant of Niall," a personal name meaning "champion."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 7,773 Americans carry the last name Neel. That puts it at #5,017 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.27 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 44,096 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Neel 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Neel with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
7.8K
1 in 44,096
Census rank
#5,017
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,778 bearers of the surname Neel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.27 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5017th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Neel, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.9%) and Hispanic (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Neel
The surname NEEL is believed to have originated in Scotland during the medieval period. It is derived from the Gaelic word "nial" or "niall," which means "champion" or "cloud." This name was commonly used among Celtic clans in the Scottish Highlands and islands.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the NEEL surname can be found in the Ragman Rolls, a document that recorded the names of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England in the late 13th century. The name appears as "Niall" and "Niel" in these rolls, which date back to the years 1296 and 1298.
During the 14th century, the NEEL surname was particularly prevalent in the regions of Ayrshire and Argyll, where several prominent families bore this name. Notable figures from this era include Sir Robert Neel, a knight who fought alongside Robert the Bruce in the Wars of Scottish Independence, and Duncan Neel, a chieftain of the Clan Neel in Argyll.
In the 15th century, the NEEL surname began to spread to other parts of Scotland and the British Isles. One prominent individual from this time was John Neel, who served as the Archbishop of St. Andrews from 1440 to 1459. He played a significant role in the governance and religious affairs of Scotland during the reign of King James II.
As the centuries progressed, the NEEL surname evolved and took on various spellings, such as Neil, Neile, and Neall. In the 17th century, a notable figure was Sir Paul Neele, a Scottish mathematician and astronomer who made important contributions to the study of celestial mechanics.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, several individuals bearing the NEEL surname achieved prominence in various fields. James Neel (1737-1810) was a Scottish poet and playwright, while John Neele (1793-1876) was a renowned English artist and engraver. Additionally, Thomas Neele (1798-1876) was a respected architect who designed several notable buildings in London.
Another notable figure was James Neel (1857-1932), a Scottish-born American businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of the steel industry in the United States. He founded the Neel Steel Company and was known for his philanthropic endeavors in supporting education and healthcare initiatives.
Throughout history, the NEEL surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including soldiers, clergymen, artists, scientists, and entrepreneurs. While the name may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over time, its Scottish origins and connection to the Gaelic language have remained a significant part of its legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Neel
Among Census respondents with the surname Neel, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.9%) and Hispanic (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Neel 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 Neel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.9% · 6,023
- Two or more races3.9% · 261
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 251
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.3% · 87
- Black or African American1.3% · 85
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 71
Timeline
Historical Census data for Neel
Neel 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
#4,887
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,209
+202 bearers (+2.9%)
Per 100,000 2.44
Rank movement Down 258 places
2020
#5,017
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,778
-431 bearers (-6.0%)
Per 100,000 2.27
Rank movement Down 130 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #4,629 | 7,007 | 2.60 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,887 | 7,209 | 2.44 | +202 bearers (+2.9%) | Down 258 places |
| 2020 | #5,017 | 6,778 | 2.27 | -431 bearers (-6.0%) | Down 130 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 Neel 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 | #4,887 | #5,017 | -2.7% |
| Count | 7,209 | 6,778 | -6.0% |
| Per 100K | 2.44 | 2.27 | -7.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Neel bearers went from 7,209 to 6,778 (-6.0% change). The surname moved down 130 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,887 to #5,017.
FAQ
Neel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Neel?
Name Census estimates that about 7,773 living Americans carry the surname Neel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 44,096 residents.
How common is Neel?
Neel ranks #5,017 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.27 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 6,778 people with the surname Neel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (7,773), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.27 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.27 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Neel.
Has Neel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Neel went from 7,209 recorded bearers to 6,778. That is a decrease of 431 (-6.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #4,887 to #5,017.
What does the Census say about the background of Neel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Neel, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.9%) and Hispanic (3.7%). 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 Neel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.9% (6,023 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Neel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.9%), Two or More Races (3.9%), Hispanic (3.7%). 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 Neel (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 Neel mean?
A surname of Irish origin, derived from "Ó Néill," meaning "descendant of Niall," a personal name meaning "champion." 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 Neel (2.27 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 Neel?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.