2000
#137,816
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Smerdel
A surname derived from the Old Russian word "smerdelŭ," meaning a peasant or serf.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Smerdel. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Smerdel 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
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Smerdel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Smerdel, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Smerdel
The surname SMERDEL is of Slovenian origin, first appearing in the historical records of the region during the late 15th century. Its roots can be traced back to the Slovenian word "smrdeč," which means "stinking" or "foul-smelling." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname or a reference to an occupation involving unpleasant odors.
During the medieval period, the name was primarily concentrated in the areas surrounding the town of Skofja Loka, located in the present-day Central Slovenia region. Early variations of the spelling included Smerdell, Smerdl, and Smerdeli, reflecting the regional dialects and the evolving nature of surnames during that era.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in a land registry document from 1487, which mentions a certain Janez Smerdel as a landowner in the village of Stara Loka. This document provides valuable insight into the presence of the surname in the area during the late 15th century.
In the 16th century, the name gained further prominence with the birth of Andrej Smerdel (1523-1591), a renowned Slovenian poet and playwright. His literary works, particularly his religious plays, played a significant role in the development of Slovenian literature during the Renaissance period.
Another notable figure bearing the surname was Marko Smerdel (1647-1718), a respected architect and stonemason who contributed to the construction of several notable buildings in the region, including the Church of St. James in Ljubljana.
During the 18th century, the Smerdel family gained recognition in the field of education with the birth of Jakob Smerdel (1732-1804), a prominent educator and author of several textbooks on mathematics and physics.
In the 19th century, the name was further disseminated through the exploits of Franc Smerdel (1825-1892), a renowned Slovenian military officer who played a crucial role in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866.
Another notable individual with this surname was Katarina Smerdel (1878-1944), a influential Slovenian suffragette and activist who fought for women's rights and education in the early 20th century.
While the surname SMERDEL may have originated from a somewhat unflattering description, it has evolved to become a source of pride and identity for many families throughout Slovenia and beyond, with a rich history spanning several centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Smerdel
Among Census respondents with the surname Smerdel, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Smerdel 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 Smerdel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.8% · 99
- Hispanic or Latino4.6% · 5
- Two or more races4.6% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Smerdel
Smerdel 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
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+3 bearers (+2.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,325 places
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-6 bearers (-5.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,064 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #137,816 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.7%) | Down 6,325 places |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.2%) | Down 6,064 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 Smerdel 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 | #144,141 | #150,205 | -4.2% |
| Count | 115 | 109 | -5.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Smerdel bearers went from 115 to 109 (-5.2% change). The surname moved down 6,064 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #150,205.
FAQ
Smerdel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Smerdel?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Smerdel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Smerdel?
Smerdel ranks #150,205 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 109 people with the surname Smerdel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), 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 Smerdel.
Has Smerdel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Smerdel went from 115 recorded bearers to 109. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Smerdel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Smerdel, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Two or More Races (4.6%). 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 Smerdel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.8% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Smerdel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.8%), Hispanic (4.6%), Two or More Races (4.6%). 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 Smerdel (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 Smerdel mean?
A surname derived from the Old Russian word "smerdelŭ," meaning a peasant or serf. 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 Smerdel (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 surname Smerdel?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.