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

Revels, 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 Revels surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Revels in America

Revels is the 7141st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Revels surname appeared 4,683 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Revels.

We can also compare 2010 data for Revels 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 Revels

The surname Revels has its origins in England, and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "reveler", meaning to revel or make merry, which may have been an occupational surname for someone who organized or participated in festivities or celebrations.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Revels can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Adam le Reveler". This document was a census-like survey of landholders in England, suggesting that the Revels family had already established themselves by that time.

The name Revels is also mentioned in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, a great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror. It is recorded as "Revellus", which may be an early variation of the surname.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the name Revels began to appear more frequently in various historical records and documents. In 1379, a John Revels is mentioned as a landowner in the county of Oxfordshire. In 1487, a William Revels is recorded as a merchant in the city of London.

One of the most notable figures to bear the surname Revels was John Revels (1520-1609), who served as the Master of the Revels at the court of Queen Elizabeth I. He was responsible for organizing and overseeing the elaborate masques, plays, and other entertainments that were a prominent feature of courtly life during the Elizabethan era.

Other historical figures with the surname Revels include:

1. Thomas Revels (1615-1679), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.
2. Richard Revels (1735-1804), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War.
3. Mary Revels (1788-1854), an English artist known for her landscapes and botanical illustrations.
4. Benjamin Revels (1826-1901), an American politician who served as a United States Senator from Mississippi, and was the first African American to hold that position.
5. William Revels (1871-1942), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

While the Revels surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and settlement patterns. However, the name's connection to its origins as an occupational surname related to merriment and celebration remains a fascinating aspect of its history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Revels

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

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!