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

Paul, 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 Paul surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Paul in America

Paul is the 415th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Paul surname appeared 78,256 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 27 people would have the surname Paul.

We can also compare 2010 data for Paul 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 Paul

The surname PAUL has its origins in the Latin name Paulus, which was a Roman family name derived from the word "paulus," meaning "small" or "humble." The name likely originated in Ancient Rome during the early days of the Roman Republic or the later Roman Empire.

PAUL as a surname first appeared in various regions of Europe during the Middle Ages, particularly in areas with strong Roman influence, such as Italy, France, and parts of Germany. The name was introduced to these regions through the spread of Christianity and the adoption of Latin names by early converts.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname PAUL can be found in the Domesday Book, a medieval census commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The book lists several individuals with the surname PAUL or variations like Paulus or Paulinus, suggesting the name's presence in England by the late 11th century.

During the medieval period, the surname PAUL was often associated with clergymen or members of religious orders, as many adopted the name in honor of the apostle Paul from the Bible. One notable example is Saint Paul of the Cross (Giovanni Battista Pauletti), an Italian mystic and founder of the Passionist Congregation, born in 1694 and died in 1775.

In the Renaissance era, the surname PAUL gained prominence in various European countries. One famous bearer was the Dutch painter Paulus Potter (1625-1654), known for his masterful depictions of animals and landscapes.

In England, the surname PAUL has a long history, with notable figures such as Sir George Paul (1563-1612), a member of Parliament and landowner, and Samuel Paul (1672-1737), a prominent Quaker writer and preacher.

Other notable individuals with the surname PAUL include the French philosopher and writer Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980), the Austrian-American composer and conductor Rudolf Paul (1905-1981), and the American civil rights leader and reformer John Paul (1839-1923), who advocated for the rights of African Americans and Native Americans.

The surname PAUL has been carried by many notable individuals throughout history, reflecting its widespread presence and enduring legacy across various cultures and regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Paul

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

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

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

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