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

Snell, 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 Snell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Snell in America

Snell is the 1623rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Snell surname appeared 22,177 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 Snell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Snell 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 Snell

The surname Snell originated in England and dates back to the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "snell," meaning "quick" or "active," which was likely used as a nickname for someone with a lively or energetic demeanor.

During the Middle Ages, the use of surnames became more widespread, and many were derived from personal characteristics, occupations, or places of origin. The Snell surname may have arisen as a descriptive name given to an individual with a notably quick or lively personality.

One of the earliest known references to the Snell name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1195, where a person named William Snell is mentioned. This suggests that the surname was already in use by the late 12th century in parts of northern England.

In the 13th century, the Snell surname appeared in various records across different regions of England. For instance, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 include entries for individuals named Snell in counties such as Oxfordshire and Cambridgeshire.

Notable historical figures with the Snell surname include Willemus Snell (fl. 1326), a 14th-century English landowner and merchant from Yorkshire. Another prominent bearer of the name was Ralph Snell (c. 1516-1563), a prominent English clergyman and theologian who served as a chaplain to Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, Robert Snell (1618-1663) was an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the development of calculus. He worked closely with Sir Christopher Wren and was appointed as the Gresham Professor of Astronomy in London.

George Snell (1619-1681) was an English politician and Member of Parliament for Gloucester during the reign of King Charles II. He was also a successful merchant and landowner in the county of Gloucestershire.

In more recent history, Wilbur Snell (1901-1948) was an American aviator and businessman who established several airlines and played a crucial role in the early development of commercial aviation in the United States.

The Snell surname has been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Snell's Nook in Yorkshire, Snell's Green in Buckinghamshire, and Snell's Hill in Gloucestershire. These places may have derived their names from individuals with the Snell surname who resided or owned property in those areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Snell

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

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

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

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