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

Squirrel, 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 Squirrel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Squirrel in America

Squirrel is the 123064th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Squirrel surname appeared 140 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Squirrel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Squirrel 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 Squirrel

The surname "Squirrel" is of English origin and dates back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "aecern", which means "acorn", and the Old French word "esquirel", meaning "squirrel". The name likely originated as a nickname for someone who was known for their quick or agile movements, resembling a squirrel.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1197, where a person named William Squirrel is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 12th century in Yorkshire, England.

In the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, there is a reference to a person named Robert le Squirrel, indicating that the name was also present in the county of Oxfordshire during the 13th century.

The Squirrel surname can be found in various historical records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk from 1327, where a John Squirrel is listed. This suggests that the name had spread to different parts of England by the early 14th century.

One notable individual with the surname Squirrel was Sir John Squirrel, a wealthy merchant and alderman who lived in London during the 15th century. He was born around 1420 and served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1471.

Another person of historical significance with this surname was Thomas Squirrel, a Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake in Wingham, Kent, in 1557 during the reign of Queen Mary I. His date of birth is unknown, but he was executed on October 20, 1557.

In the 16th century, the Squirrel surname can be found in various parish records, such as those of St. Giles Cripplegate in London, where a marriage between Richard Squirrel and Elizabeth Hawkins is recorded in 1591.

The name has also been associated with various place names, such as Squirrel Hall, an old manor house in Hertfordshire, and Squirrel's Heath, a hamlet in Berkshire, both of which may have derived their names from individuals with the Squirrel surname.

Other notable bearers of the Squirrel surname include Edward Squirrel, a 17th-century English clergyman and author who was born in 1635 and died in 1708, and William Squirrel, a 19th-century English painter born in 1828 and known for his landscapes and portraits.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Squirrel

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

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

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

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