Rockwell
Derived from a place name meaning "stream by a rocky spring" in Old English.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 14,361 Americans carry the last name Rockwell. That puts it at #2,902 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.19 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 23,867 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rockwell surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
14K
1 in 23,867
Census rank
#2,902
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
12K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 12,360 bearers of the surname Rockwell in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.19 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2902nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rockwell, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.6%. The next largest groups are Black (4.0%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rockwell
The surname Rockwell originated in England and dates back to the late 11th century. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English words "rocca" meaning a distaff or rock, and "well" meaning a spring or stream. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a rocky stream or spring.
One of the earliest recordings of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as Rocawella. Other early spellings include Rokewelle, Rockwelle, and Rokkewell. The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex in eastern England.
In the 13th century, a Robert de Rokewelle was recorded as a landowner in the county of Norfolk. The Rockwell family continued to hold lands and estates in this region for several centuries.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Rockwell began to spread beyond East Anglia as people migrated to other parts of England and eventually to the American colonies. One notable bearer of the name was Sir Ralph Rockwell (1512-1578), a member of Parliament and influential figure during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
In the 18th century, the American Revolutionary War saw several individuals named Rockwell serving in the Continental Army, including Colonel Samuel Rockwell (1751-1793) who fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill and the Battle of Trenton.
Other notable individuals with the surname Rockwell include the American painter Norman Rockwell (1894-1978), famous for his illustrations of American culture, and the entrepreneur and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937), founder of the Standard Oil Company and one of the wealthiest Americans in history.
The name Rockwell has also been associated with various place names, such as Rockwell Green in Somerset, England, and the town of Rockwell, Iowa, named after the Rockwell family who were among its earliest settlers.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rockwell
Among Census respondents with the surname Rockwell, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.6%. The next largest groups are Black (4.0%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Rockwell bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Rockwell surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.6%
- Black or African American4.0%
- Hispanic or Latino2.3%
- Two or more races1.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Rockwell surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,902 | #2,902 | 0.0% |
| Count | 12,360 | 12,360 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 4.19 | 4.19 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Rockwell bearers went from 12,360 to 12,360 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #2,902 to #2,902.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Rockwell
FAQ
Rockwell surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Rockwell?
The surname Rockwell holds position #2,902 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 14,361 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 4.19 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Rockwell surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rockwell, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.6%. The next largest groups are Black (4.0%) and Hispanic (2.3%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.