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

Samuel, 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 Samuel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Samuel in America

Samuel is the 1558th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Samuel surname appeared 23,125 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Samuel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Samuel 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 Samuel

The surname Samuel originates from the Hebrew name Shemuel, meaning "name of God" or "heard by God." It is believed to have originated in ancient Israel, around the 11th century BC, during the period of the biblical judges.

The earliest known bearer of the name was the prophet Samuel, who lived in the late 11th century BC and played a crucial role in the establishment of the Hebrew monarchy. He is mentioned extensively in the Book of Samuel, one of the historical books of the Hebrew Bible.

The name Samuel can be found in various ancient texts and manuscripts, including the Dead Sea Scrolls, which date back to the 3rd century BC. It is also mentioned in the Mishnah, a collection of rabbinical teachings compiled around 200 AD.

During the Middle Ages, the name Samuel was commonly found among Jewish communities across Europe and the Middle East. One notable bearer was Samuel Hannagid (993-1056), a celebrated Jewish scholar, poet, and statesman from Andalusian Spain.

As the name spread throughout Europe, it took on various spellings and variations, such as Samuels, Samwell, and Samuele, reflecting regional linguistic influences.

In England, the surname Samuel can be traced back to the 13th century, with records showing individuals bearing the name, such as William Samuel, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1221.

Notable individuals with the surname Samuel throughout history include:

1. Sir Marcus Samuel (1853-1927), a British businessman and the founder of the Shell Transport and Trading Company.
2. Adolphe Samuel (1824-1898), a French banker and philanthropist who played a significant role in the development of the Suez Canal project.
3. Herbert Louis Samuel (1870-1963), a British politician and diplomat who served as the first High Commissioner of Palestine from 1920 to 1925.
4. John Samuel (1572-1631), an English explorer and navigator who is credited with publishing one of the earliest descriptions of the Pacific Ocean.
5. Raphael Samuel (1934-1996), a British historian and pioneering scholar in the field of cultural studies.

While the surname Samuel has its roots in ancient Hebrew, it has been adopted and adapted by various cultures and communities around the world, reflecting the rich tapestry of human migration and cultural exchange.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Samuel

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

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

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

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