2000
#135,837
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Regli
A Germanic surname derived from a nickname meaning "ruler" or "governor".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Regli. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Regli 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
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Regli in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Regli, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (4.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Regli
The surname REGLI originated in Switzerland, with its earliest recorded examples dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Swiss-German word "regli," which means "ruler" or "measuring stick." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with a profession or trade related to measurement or construction.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the REGLI surname can be found in the 1548 tax records of the canton of Graubünden, where a certain Hans Regli is listed as a resident of the village of Trin. This region, located in the eastern Swiss Alps, has a long history of woodworking and timber construction, lending credence to the theory that the name was initially associated with carpentry or building trades.
In the 17th century, the REGLI name began to appear in other parts of Switzerland, particularly in the cantons of Bern and Zurich. A notable bearer of the name during this time was Johannes Regli (1639-1701), a Protestant minister and author from Bern, who published several theological works that were influential in the Swiss Reformed Church.
As the centuries passed, the REGLI surname spread beyond Switzerland, with members of the family migrating to other parts of Europe and eventually to the Americas. One prominent individual with this name was Carl Regli (1825-1893), a Swiss-born engineer and entrepreneur who played a key role in the industrialization of Germany. He founded the Regli Machine Works in Berlin, which became a major manufacturer of industrial machinery and equipment.
Another notable REGLI was Emil Regli (1888-1964), a Swiss artist and painter who was part of the Expressionist movement in the early 20th century. His works, which often featured bold colors and distorted forms, were exhibited in galleries across Europe and are now held in several major museum collections.
In the field of literature, the REGLI name is associated with Gottlieb Regli (1910-1985), a Swiss author and poet who wrote in the dialect of his native canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden. His works, which often explored themes of rural life and the natural world, were widely celebrated and earned him several prestigious literary awards.
While the REGLI surname may not be as common as some others, it has a rich history that spans centuries and crosses borders, reflecting the diverse experiences and achievements of those who have borne this name throughout the ages.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Regli
Among Census respondents with the surname Regli, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (4.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Regli 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 Regli surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.5% · 85
- Hispanic or Latino8.7% · 9
- American Indian and Alaska Native4.9% · 5
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Regli
Regli 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
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
-14 bearers (-12.3%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 25,138 places
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
+3 bearers (+3.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 6,793 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #135,837 | 114 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | -14 bearers (-12.3%) | Down 25,138 places |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | +3 bearers (+3.0%) | Up 6,793 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 Regli 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 | #160,975 | #154,182 | 4.2% |
| Count | 100 | 103 | 3.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 14.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Regli bearers went from 100 to 103 (+3.0% change). The surname moved up 6,793 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #154,182.
FAQ
Regli surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Regli?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Regli. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Regli?
Regli ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 103 people with the surname Regli. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Regli.
Has Regli become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Regli went from 100 recorded bearers to 103. That is an increase of 3 (+3.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Regli?
Among Census respondents with the surname Regli, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (4.9%). 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 Regli in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.5% (85 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Regli appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.5%), Hispanic (8.7%), American Indian/Alaska Native (4.9%). 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 Regli (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 Regli mean?
A Germanic surname derived from a nickname meaning "ruler" or "governor". 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 Regli (0.03 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 are called Regli?
See how many people have the last name Regli on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.