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

Noel, 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 Noel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Noel in America

Noel is the 1103rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Noel surname appeared 31,768 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 11 people would have the surname Noel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Noel 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 Noel

The surname Noel is of French origin and is derived from the Latin word "natalis," meaning "birth" or "natal day," referring to Christmas. It was initially used as a given name before becoming a hereditary surname.

The earliest recorded use of Noel as a surname dates back to the 12th century in Normandy, France. It was likely adopted by families who lived near churches or monasteries dedicated to the Nativity of Christ or by those born around Christmas time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Noel surname was Raoul Noel, a Norman knight who accompanied William the Conqueror during the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. His name is recorded in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landholdings commissioned by William I.

In the 13th century, the Noel family became prominent landowners in Staffordshire, England. John Noel (c. 1225-1292) was a notable member of this family and served as a knight and sheriff of Staffordshire.

During the 16th century, the Noel family gained further prominence in England. Sir Andrew Noel (c. 1507-1581) was a member of Parliament and a supporter of the Protestant Reformation. His son, Edward Noel (c. 1530-1589), was also a member of Parliament and served as a justice of the peace.

In the 17th century, Baptist Noel (1616-1676) was a notable English clergyman and a prominent figure in the Particular Baptist movement. He was known for his strong opposition to religious persecution and his advocacy for religious liberty.

Another famous bearer of the Noel surname was Rennell Noel (1772-1854), a British naval officer and explorer. He was best known for his explorations of the Arctic regions and his contributions to the mapping of the Canadian Arctic.

The Noel family has also produced several notable writers and poets throughout history. Thomas Noel (1799-1861) was an English poet and playwright, while Roden Noel (1834-1894) was a renowned English poet and essayist.

Overall, the surname Noel has a rich historical legacy, tracing its roots back to Norman France and spanning various fields, including military service, politics, religion, exploration, and literature.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Noel

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

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

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

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