2000
#2,948
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,222
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.16
Uncommon Last name
Qualls
Derived from a Middle English nickname for a bold or fierce person, from "qual" meaning "violent" or "cruel."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 12,597 Americans carry the last name Qualls. That puts it at #3,204 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.68 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 27,209 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Qualls surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
13K
1 in 27,209
Census rank
#3,204
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
11K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,985 bearers of the surname Qualls in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.68 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3204th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Qualls, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.4%. The next largest groups are Black (19.3%) and Two or More Races (5.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Qualls
The surname Qualls has its origins in England, with records indicating its presence as early as the 13th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "cwealm," which means "kill" or "destruction." This suggests that the name may have originally been given to someone who was a skilled warrior or hunter.
One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1268, where a William Quall is mentioned. The Pipe Rolls were financial records kept by the English government, and their inclusion of the name suggests that it was already established in the region at that time.
In the 14th century, the name appeared in various spellings, including Quayll, Quale, and Quaile. These variations reflect the fluid nature of spelling during that era, as well as potential regional differences in pronunciation.
The Qualls surname is also linked to several place names in England, such as Quall Farm in Worcestershire and Quall Hill in Staffordshire. These locations may have been named after individuals bearing the surname or could have influenced the development of the name itself.
One notable individual with the surname was Sir Robert Qualls, a member of the English gentry who lived in the late 16th century. He is recorded as having served as a magistrate and held land in Gloucestershire.
Another prominent figure was John Qualls, born in 1624 in Somerset, England. He was a Puritan minister who emigrated to Massachusetts in the 1630s and became a prominent figure in the early days of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
In the 18th century, the Qualls surname was found in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Warwickshire. One individual of note was William Qualls, born in 1732 in Yorkshire, who served as a captain in the British Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War.
The 19th century saw the surname spread beyond England, with members of the Qualls family recorded in countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia. One significant figure was James Qualls, born in 1821 in Warwickshire, England. He was a successful businessman who emigrated to Canada and became a prominent figure in the development of the city of Toronto.
Throughout its history, the Qualls surname has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including clergymen, military personnel, businesspeople, and landowners. While its origins may be rooted in warfare or hunting, the name has evolved to encompass a diverse array of individuals and their contributions to society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Qualls
Among Census respondents with the surname Qualls, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.4%. The next largest groups are Black (19.3%) and Two or More Races (5.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Qualls bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Qualls surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White70.4% · 7,730
- Black or African American19.3% · 2,120
- Two or more races5.3% · 584
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 380
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.2% · 137
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 34
Timeline
Historical Census data for Qualls
Qualls appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#2,999
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,958
+736 bearers (+6.6%)
Per 100,000 4.05
Rank movement Down 51 places
2020
#3,204
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,985
-973 bearers (-8.1%)
Per 100,000 3.68
Rank movement Down 205 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,948 | 11,222 | 4.16 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,999 | 11,958 | 4.05 | +736 bearers (+6.6%) | Down 51 places |
| 2020 | #3,204 | 10,985 | 3.68 | -973 bearers (-8.1%) | Down 205 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Qualls surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,999 | #3,204 | -6.8% |
| Count | 11,958 | 10,985 | -8.1% |
| Per 100K | 4.05 | 3.68 | -9.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Qualls bearers went from 11,958 to 10,985 (-8.1% change). The surname moved down 205 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,999 to #3,204.
FAQ
Qualls surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Qualls?
Name Census estimates that about 12,597 living Americans carry the surname Qualls. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 27,209 residents.
How common is Qualls?
Qualls ranks #3,204 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.68 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,985 people with the surname Qualls. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (12,597), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.68 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.68 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Qualls.
Has Qualls become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Qualls went from 11,958 recorded bearers to 10,985. That is a decrease of 973 (-8.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,999 to #3,204.
What does the Census say about the background of Qualls?
Among Census respondents with the surname Qualls, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.4%. The next largest groups are Black (19.3%) and Two or More Races (5.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Qualls in the 2020 Census, accounting for 70.4% (7,730 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Qualls appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (70.4%), Black (19.3%), Two or More Races (5.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Qualls (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Qualls mean?
Derived from a Middle English nickname for a bold or fierce person, from "qual" meaning "violent" or "cruel." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Qualls (3.68 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Qualls?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.