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

Orel, 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 Orel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Orel in America

Orel is the 58182nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Orel surname appeared 349 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 Orel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Orel 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 Orel

The surname Orel is of Russian origin, derived from the Russian word "orel," meaning "eagle." It emerged during the Middle Ages, likely as a nickname or descriptive name given to someone known for characteristics associated with the eagle, such as strength, courage, or keen vision.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Orel can be traced back to the 16th century in various historical documents and records from the Russian Empire. One notable example is Ivan Orel, a prominent merchant who lived in the city of Novgorod in the late 1500s. His name appears in trade records and business transactions from that period.

In the 17th century, the Orel surname gained prominence among Russian nobility and military figures. For instance, Fyodor Orel (1620-1692) was a respected military commander who served under Tsar Alexis I during the Russo-Polish War. His bravery and leadership on the battlefield earned him recognition and land grants from the tsar.

Another significant historical figure bearing the Orel surname was Nikolai Orel (1770-1829), a Russian poet and translator. He is best known for his translations of works by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Friedrich Schiller, which contributed significantly to the development of Russian literature in the early 19th century.

In the 20th century, the Orel surname was associated with several notable individuals, such as Grigory Orel (1902-1978), a prominent Soviet linguist and philologist. His research on the etymology and historical development of the Russian language is widely acclaimed.

Additionally, Yuri Orel (1932-2002) was a renowned Russian-American mathematician and computer scientist. He made significant contributions to the fields of cybernetics and artificial intelligence, and his work on pattern recognition algorithms is still widely studied and referenced today.

While the Orel surname originated in Russia, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and intermarriage. However, its roots can be traced back to the rich cultural and historical heritage of Russia, where it holds a significant place in the country's onomastic traditions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Orel

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

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

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

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