Soul
A surname derived from the word for the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 274 Americans carry the last name Soul. That puts it at #77,012 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,250,928 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Soul surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
274
1 in 1,250,928
Census rank
#77,012
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
249
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 249 bearers of the surname Soul in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 77012th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Soul, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.1%. The next largest groups are Black (14.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Soul
The surname SOUL originates from England and dates back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "sol" or "sole," meaning "muddy place" or "dark soil." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a marshy or swampy area.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname SOUL can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1194, where a person named William Sole is mentioned. The surname also appears in various other medieval records, such as the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1310, which mentions a Thomas Sole.
During the 13th century, the name SOUL was particularly prevalent in the counties of Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Devon. Some place names associated with the surname include Soulbury in Buckinghamshire and Souldern in Oxfordshire, both of which may have contributed to the development of the surname.
Notable individuals with the surname SOUL throughout history include:
1. William Soul (c. 1550-1615), an English clergyman and theological writer.
2. John Soul (1611-1693), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament.
3. Mary Soul (1768-1838), a British horticulturist and botanical illustrator known for her work on the flora of Madeira.
4. Thomas Soul (1780-1860), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.
5. James Soul (1816-1892), a Scottish architect and urban planner who designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh.
The surname SOUL has also been subject to various spelling variations over the centuries, including Sole, Soule, Soll, and Sowell. These variations reflect the regional dialects and linguistic influences that shaped the name's evolution.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Soul
Among Census respondents with the surname Soul, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.1%. The next largest groups are Black (14.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Soul bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Soul surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White75.1%
- Black or African American14.1%
- Asian and Pacific Islander4.4%
- Hispanic or Latino3.6%
- Unknown or suppressed2.8%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Soul surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #75,938 | #77,012 | -1.4% |
| Count | 236 | 249 | 5.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.09 | 0.08 | -11.1% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Soul bearers went from 236 to 249 (+5.5% change). The surname moved down 1,074 positions in the national ranking, going from #75,938 to #77,012.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Soul
FAQ
Soul surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Soul?
The surname Soul holds position #77,012 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 274 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Soul surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Soul, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.1%. The next largest groups are Black (14.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (4.4%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.