Quaile last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Quaile

An English variant of the French surname Quaille, derived from the Latin "qualia" meaning quail.

Quaile, 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 Quaile surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Quaile in America

Quaile is the 80678th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Quaile surname appeared 235 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 Quaile.

We can also compare 2010 data for Quaile 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 80678 68172 16.80%
Count 235 270 -13.86%
Proportion per 100k 0.08 0.10 -22.22%

The history of the last name Quaile

The surname Quaile is believed to have originated in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to have derived from the Old French word "caille," which means "quail," referring to the small game bird. This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone who had a perceived resemblance or association with the quail.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, compiled in 1273, where it appears as "Quayle." This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time, as surnames were often adapted based on local dialects and pronunciations.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various records, including the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, where it was listed as "Quaylle." This document provides valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of surnames during that period.

The Quaile surname has also been linked to certain place names, particularly in areas where the quail bird was abundant. For instance, the village of Quail in Buckinghamshire may have contributed to the development of the surname, as individuals from that region could have been referred to as "de Quail" or "Quaile."

Notable individuals bearing the Quaile surname throughout history include:

  1. Sir Robert Quaile (1590-1661), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Bedfordshire in the 17th century.
  2. John Quaile (1624-1689), a prominent English clergyman and author, known for his work "The Shepherd's Oracles," published in 1679.
  3. Mary Quaile (1736-1817), a renowned British botanist and plant collector, who contributed significantly to the study of flora in the 18th century.
  4. William Quaile (1834-1901), an American civil engineer and surveyor, responsible for mapping and surveying several major cities in the western United States.
  5. Everett Quaile (1897-1976), an American baseball player who played for the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1920s.

While the Quaile surname may not be as widely documented as some other English surnames, its history and origins can be traced back to the medieval period, reflecting the fascinating evolution of names and their connections to occupations, characteristics, and geographical locations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Quaile

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

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 Quaile was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 87.66% 206
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 6.81% 16
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 2.98% 7

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 Quaile has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 87.66% 88.52% -0.98%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 6.81% 7.41% -8.44%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Two or More Races (S)% 2.22% (S)%
Hispanic 2.98% (S)% (S)%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Quaile last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 13, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/quaile-surname-popularity/.

"Quaile last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/quaile-surname-popularity/. Accessed 13 October, 2024

Quaile last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/quaile-surname-popularity/.

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