2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Scandale
A surname derived from the French word for "scandal" or "outrage".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Scandale. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Scandale 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Scandale in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Scandale, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%) and Black (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Scandale
The surname "SCANDALE" is believed to have originated in Italy during the medieval period. It is likely derived from the Italian word "scandalo," which means "scandal" or "outrage." The name may have been given as a nickname or descriptive name to someone who was involved in a notorious incident or was known for causing controversy.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various Italian regions, particularly in the northern provinces like Lombardy and Piedmont. Some variations in spelling from that time include Scandala, Scandalio, and Scandaleri.
One of the earliest documented individuals with this surname was Giovanni Scandale, a merchant from Genoa who lived in the late 13th century. Records show that he was involved in a legal dispute over a shipment of goods, which may have contributed to the acquisition of his surname.
Another notable figure was Matteo Scandale, a Catholic priest from Milan who lived in the 15th century. He was known for his fiery sermons and outspoken criticism of certain practices within the Church, which led to him being branded as a "scandalous" figure by some of his contemporaries.
In the 16th century, the Scandale family had a notable presence in the city of Florence. One member, Lorenzo Scandale (1520-1598), was a successful banker and philanthropist who funded the construction of a hospital for the poor.
During the Renaissance period, the surname appeared in various literary works and historical records. For example, the Italian playwright and poet Niccolò Macchiavelli mentioned a character named "Scandale" in one of his comedic plays, perhaps as a satirical reference to the name's meaning.
Another individual of note was Giulio Scandale (1675-1742), a celebrated artist from Rome who was renowned for his intricate frescoes and murals adorning numerous churches and palaces across Italy.
While the surname "SCANDALE" is not as common today, it has left a fascinating trail throughout Italian history, often associated with individuals who challenged societal norms or found themselves at the center of controversial events.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Scandale
Among Census respondents with the surname Scandale, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%) and Black (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Scandale 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 Scandale surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.8% · 106
- Hispanic or Latino5.9% · 7
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Scandale
Scandale 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
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-3 bearers (-2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 13,524 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+16 bearers (+15.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 14,921 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | -3 bearers (-2.9%) | Down 13,524 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +16 bearers (+15.7%) | Up 14,921 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 Scandale 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 | #158,432 | #143,511 | 9.4% |
| Count | 102 | 118 | 15.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 31.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Scandale bearers went from 102 to 118 (+15.7% change). The surname moved up 14,921 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #143,511.
FAQ
Scandale surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Scandale?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Scandale. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Scandale?
Scandale ranks #143,511 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 118 people with the surname Scandale. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Scandale.
Has Scandale become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Scandale went from 102 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 16 (+15.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Scandale?
Among Census respondents with the surname Scandale, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%) and Black (1.7%). 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 Scandale in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.8% (106 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Scandale appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.8%), Hispanic (5.9%), Black (1.7%). 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 Scandale (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 Scandale mean?
A surname derived from the French word for "scandal" or "outrage". 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 Scandale (0.04 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 have the last name Scandale?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Scandale on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.