2000
#13,012
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,160
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.80
Rare Last name
Riel
A French surname derived from the Old French "ruel," meaning "small stream" or "brook."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,254 Americans carry the last name Riel. That puts it at #14,561 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.66 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 152,065 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Riel 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
2.3K
1 in 152,065
Census rank
#14,561
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,966 bearers of the surname Riel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.66 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14561st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Riel, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (9.9%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Riel
The surname RIEL originated in France, dating back to the medieval era. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "riel," meaning a small stream or brook. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who resided near a small watercourse.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the RIEL name can be found in the 13th century in the region of Normandy, France. The name appeared in various archival records and documents from that period, sometimes spelled as "Riel," "Riell," or "Rielle."
During the Middle Ages, many surnames emerged from geographical locations or descriptive characteristics. The RIEL surname likely originated as a locational name, referring to a specific place or area where a small stream or brook was present. It is possible that the name was initially used to identify individuals who lived near such a watercourse.
In the 14th century, there are records of a RIEL family residing in the village of Beaumont-en-Auge, also located in Normandy. This village's name is derived from the Old French words "beau" (beautiful) and "mont" (hill), suggesting a connection between the RIEL surname and a picturesque location.
One notable figure with the RIEL surname was Louis Riel (1844-1885), a Canadian politician and leader of the Métis people. He played a significant role in the Red River Rebellion and the North-West Rebellion, seeking to protect the rights and lands of the Métis community in western Canada.
Another historical figure bearing the RIEL name was Antoine Riel (1601-1677), a French Catholic priest and theologian who served as a professor at the Sorbonne University in Paris. He was known for his scholarly works on theology and philosophy.
In the 16th century, there are records of a RIEL family residing in the village of Auge, located in the Normandy region of France. The village's name is derived from the Gaulish word "algia," meaning a marshy area or wetland, further reinforcing the connection between the RIEL surname and water-related geographical features.
Étienne Riel (1756-1832) was a French military officer who served during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He participated in several notable battles and campaigns, earning recognition for his bravery and leadership.
Jean-Baptiste Riel (1721-1804) was a French-Canadian farmer and landowner who played a role in the early settlement and development of the Rivière-des-Prairies region, located near Montreal, Canada. He established a successful agricultural enterprise and contributed to the growth of the local community.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Riel
Among Census respondents with the surname Riel, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (9.9%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Riel 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 Riel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White80.4% · 1,581
- Asian and Pacific Islander9.9% · 195
- Two or more races5.0% · 99
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 73
- Black or African American0.6% · 12
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Riel
Riel 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
#14,139
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,125
-35 bearers (-1.6%)
Per 100,000 0.72
Rank movement Down 1,127 places
2020
#14,561
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,966
-159 bearers (-7.5%)
Per 100,000 0.66
Rank movement Down 422 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,012 | 2,160 | 0.80 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,139 | 2,125 | 0.72 | -35 bearers (-1.6%) | Down 1,127 places |
| 2020 | #14,561 | 1,966 | 0.66 | -159 bearers (-7.5%) | Down 422 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 Riel 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 | #14,139 | #14,561 | -3.0% |
| Count | 2,125 | 1,966 | -7.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.72 | 0.66 | -8.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Riel bearers went from 2,125 to 1,966 (-7.5% change). The surname moved down 422 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,139 to #14,561.
FAQ
Riel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Riel?
Name Census estimates that about 2,254 living Americans carry the surname Riel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 152,065 residents.
How common is Riel?
Riel ranks #14,561 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.66 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 1,966 people with the surname Riel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,254), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.66 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.66 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 Riel.
Has Riel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Riel went from 2,125 recorded bearers to 1,966. That is a decrease of 159 (-7.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #14,139 to #14,561.
What does the Census say about the background of Riel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Riel, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (9.9%) and Two or More Races (5.0%). 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 Riel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 80.4% (1,581 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Riel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (80.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (9.9%), Two or More Races (5.0%). 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 Riel (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 Riel mean?
A French surname derived from the Old French "ruel," meaning "small stream" or "brook." 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 Riel (0.66 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 Riel?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.