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

Quail, 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 Quail surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Quail in America

Quail is the 21459th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Quail surname appeared 1,218 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 Quail.

We can also compare 2010 data for Quail 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 Quail

The surname Quail is believed to have originated in England, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is a toponymic name, derived from a place name associated with the quail bird. The name is thought to have evolved from the Old English word 'cwail,' which referred to the quail bird.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Quaile.' This suggests that the name was already in use in England before the Norman Conquest. Over time, various spellings emerged, such as Quayle, Quail, and Quaill.

The Quail surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, where records indicate the presence of families bearing this name as early as the 13th century. Some notable early bearers of the name include John Quayle, a landowner from Buckinghamshire who is mentioned in records from 1279.

In the 16th century, a branch of the Quail family settled in the village of Quainton, Buckinghamshire, which is believed to have derived its name from the same Old English word 'cwail.' This connection between the surname and the place name further reinforces the toponymic origins of the Quail name.

Among the notable historical figures with the surname Quail, one can mention Sir Robert Quail (1590-1662), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Buckinghamshire in the 17th century. Another prominent individual was William Quail (1784-1868), a Scottish-born Australian settler and explorer who played a significant role in the early exploration and settlement of the Swan River Colony in Western Australia.

Other notable individuals with the Quail surname include Thomas Quail (1752-1824), an English Quaker minister and author; Jeremiah Quail (1770-1853), an American politician and judge who served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives; and Sarah Quail (1811-1892), an American educator and pioneer in the field of deaf education.

Throughout its history, the Quail surname has maintained a strong presence in various regions of England, as well as in areas where English settlers migrated, such as North America and Australia. While the name's origins can be traced back to medieval England, its enduring legacy continues to be carried by families around the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Quail

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

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

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

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