2000
#136,783
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Squirrell
A historical surname derived from the small rodent, potentially referring to a characteristic or occupation.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Squirrell. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Squirrell 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Squirrell with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Squirrell in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Squirrell, the largest self-reported group is White at 53.3%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (21.5%) and Black (13.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Squirrell
The surname Squirrell is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word 'squirel,' which means 'squirrel.' The name likely originated as a nickname for someone who exhibited squirrel-like characteristics or behaviors, such as being quick or agile.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, England, from 1273, where it appears as 'Squirel.' This document contains records of landowners in the county during the reign of King Edward I.
In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, including 'Squyrrell,' 'Squirell,' and 'Squirrell.' These variations were common due to the inconsistencies in spelling and record-keeping during that time.
The name Squirrell has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such person was John Squirrell, a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol, England, who lived in the late 15th century.
Another notable bearer of the name was Sir Edward Squirrell, a Member of Parliament for the borough of Wigan in the 17th century. He played a significant role in the English Civil War and was a supporter of the Parliamentarian cause.
In the 18th century, Thomas Squirrell, born in 1722, was a renowned clockmaker in London. His intricately crafted clocks were highly sought after by the British gentry and aristocracy.
The 19th century saw the birth of William Squirrell, a renowned English landscape painter who specialized in depicting rural scenes and landscapes. He was born in 1834 and is known for his exceptional attention to detail and realistic portrayal of nature.
Another notable figure was Mary Squirrell, a prominent social reformer and women's rights activist in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She campaigned tirelessly for women's suffrage and played a crucial role in the Women's Social and Political Union.
While the surname Squirrell may not be among the most common surnames today, its rich history and origins showcase the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who have borne this name throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Squirrell
Among Census respondents with the surname Squirrell, the largest self-reported group is White at 53.3%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (21.5%) and Black (13.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Squirrell 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 Squirrell surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White53.3% · 57
- American Indian and Alaska Native21.5% · 23
- Black or African American13.1% · 14
- Two or more races6.5% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino4.7% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Squirrell
Squirrell 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
#133,863
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
+13 bearers (+11.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,920 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-19 bearers (-15.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 17,776 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #136,783 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,863 | 126 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+11.5%) | Up 2,920 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -19 bearers (-15.1%) | Down 17,776 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 Squirrell 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 | #133,863 | #151,639 | -13.3% |
| Count | 126 | 107 | -15.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Squirrell bearers went from 126 to 107 (-15.1% change). The surname moved down 17,776 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,863 to #151,639.
FAQ
Squirrell surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Squirrell?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Squirrell. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Squirrell?
Squirrell ranks #151,639 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 107 people with the surname Squirrell. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), 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 Squirrell.
Has Squirrell become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Squirrell went from 126 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 19 (-15.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,863 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Squirrell?
Among Census respondents with the surname Squirrell, the largest self-reported group is White at 53.3%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (21.5%) and Black (13.1%). 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 Squirrell in the 2020 Census, accounting for 53.3% (57 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Squirrell appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (53.3%), American Indian/Alaska Native (21.5%), Black (13.1%). 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 Squirrell (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 Squirrell mean?
A historical surname derived from the small rodent, potentially referring to a characteristic or occupation. 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 Squirrell (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 are called Squirrell?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how common the surname Squirrell is at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.