2000
#8,688
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,482
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.29
Rare Last name
Rael
A variant of the surname Ravel, derived from the Old French surname Revelle, meaning "rebel" or "revolt."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,902 Americans carry the last name Rael. That puts it at #9,206 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.14 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 87,841 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rael 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
3.9K
1 in 87,841
Census rank
#9,206
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,403 bearers of the surname Rael in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.14 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9206th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rael, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 78.4%. The next largest groups are White (17.2%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rael
The surname RAEL is believed to have originated in the Middle Ages, likely in the region of modern-day France. It is thought to be a variant or derivative of the French word "réel," meaning "real" or "genuine." This name may have been initially given as a descriptive surname to someone who was perceived as honest, truthful, or sincere.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name RAEL can be found in the medieval records of the Normandy region of France, dating back to the 13th century. In these records, the name appears with various spellings, such as "Rahel," "Rael," and "Rael."
During the 14th and 15th centuries, the name RAEL began to appear in other regions of France, including Paris and the surrounding areas. This suggests that individuals bearing this name may have migrated or travelled to different parts of the country.
In the 16th century, a notable figure with the surname RAEL was Jacques Rael, a French philosopher and theologian who lived from 1516 to 1582. He was known for his writings on religious and philosophical topics and was a prominent figure in the intellectual circles of his time.
Another historical figure with the surname RAEL was Marie-Anne Rael, a French author and playwright who lived from 1687 to 1749. She gained recognition for her plays and literary works, which explored themes of love, society, and the human condition.
Moving into the 18th century, the RAEL surname can be found in various records and documents from different regions of France. For example, Jean-Baptiste Rael, born in 1721, was a successful merchant and businessman in the city of Lyon, known for his trading ventures and entrepreneurial endeavors.
In the 19th century, a notable figure with the RAEL surname was Victor Rael, a French artist and painter who lived from 1815 to 1890. He was renowned for his landscapes and portraits, and his works were exhibited in several prominent galleries and exhibitions of the time.
It's worth noting that the surname RAEL has also been found in other European countries, such as Belgium and Switzerland, likely due to migration patterns and the spread of French-speaking populations. However, the origins of the name can be traced back to its French roots and the medieval period.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rael
Among Census respondents with the surname Rael, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 78.4%. The next largest groups are White (17.2%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Rael 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 Rael surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino78.4% · 2,667
- White17.2% · 584
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 59
- Two or more races1.0% · 34
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 32
- Black or African American0.8% · 27
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rael
Rael 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
#9,093
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,592
+110 bearers (+3.2%)
Per 100,000 1.22
Rank movement Down 405 places
2020
#9,206
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,403
-189 bearers (-5.3%)
Per 100,000 1.14
Rank movement Down 113 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,688 | 3,482 | 1.29 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,093 | 3,592 | 1.22 | +110 bearers (+3.2%) | Down 405 places |
| 2020 | #9,206 | 3,403 | 1.14 | -189 bearers (-5.3%) | Down 113 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 Rael 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 | #9,093 | #9,206 | -1.2% |
| Count | 3,592 | 3,403 | -5.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.22 | 1.14 | -6.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rael bearers went from 3,592 to 3,403 (-5.3% change). The surname moved down 113 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,093 to #9,206.
FAQ
Rael surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rael?
Name Census estimates that about 3,902 living Americans carry the surname Rael. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 87,841 residents.
How common is Rael?
Rael ranks #9,206 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.14 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,403 people with the surname Rael. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,902), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.14 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.14 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Rael.
Has Rael become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rael went from 3,592 recorded bearers to 3,403. That is a decrease of 189 (-5.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,093 to #9,206.
What does the Census say about the background of Rael?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rael, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 78.4%. The next largest groups are White (17.2%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Rael in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.4% (2,667 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rael appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (78.4%), White (17.2%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%). 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 Rael (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 Rael mean?
A variant of the surname Ravel, derived from the Old French surname Revelle, meaning "rebel" or "revolt." 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 Rael (1.14 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 share the surname Rael?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.