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

Searle, 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 Searle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Searle in America

Searle is the 7145th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Searle surname appeared 4,680 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 Searle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Searle 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 Searle

The surname Searle originates from England, first appearing in records during the 11th century. It is derived from the Old English word "sār", meaning a wound or sore, and the suffix "-le", which was a diminutive form. Together, the name likely referred to someone who had a distinguishing scar or wound.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Searle can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Searl" and "Serlone", suggesting variations in spelling were common from the beginning.

In the 13th century, records show a William Searle who was a landowner in Somerset, England. Around the same time, a Robert Searle was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1230.

During the 14th century, the name Searle was associated with various place names, such as Searle's Green in Hertfordshire and Searle's Court in Kent. This suggests that some Searle families held land or had influence in those areas.

One notable individual with the surname Searle was John Searle, a 16th-century English lawyer and Member of Parliament who lived from around 1505 to 1568. He served as a Member of Parliament for Maldon, Essex, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, Thomas Searle (1626-1698) was a prominent English physician and author who wrote several medical treatises, including one on the treatment of smallpox.

Another individual of note was Humphrey Searle (1915-1982), a British composer and conductor who was known for his avant-garde works and collaborations with renowned artists like Benjamin Britten.

The surname Searle has also been associated with notable figures in the United States, such as Ralph Searle (1920-1998), an American civil rights activist and co-founder of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE).

Throughout its history, the surname Searle has maintained a strong presence in England, with various spellings and variations emerging over time, reflecting the diverse origins and histories of the families who bore this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Searle

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

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

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

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