2000
#12,726
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,228
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.83
Rare Last name
Stigall
Derived from a place name meaning "steep hill" in Old English, likely referring to a person who lived near one.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,547 Americans carry the last name Stigall. That puts it at #13,187 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.74 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 134,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Stigall 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
2.5K
1 in 134,572
Census rank
#13,187
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,221 bearers of the surname Stigall in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.74 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13187th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Stigall, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.6%. The next largest groups are Black (19.6%) and Two or More Races (5.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Stigall
The surname Stigall is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "stige" meaning a path or way, and "heal" meaning a hall or manor house. Thus, the name likely referred to someone who lived near a prominent path or road leading to a manor or estate.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Stigehalle." This entry suggests that the name was already in use by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066, indicating its Anglo-Saxon roots.
During the 13th century, the surname began appearing in various records and documents with spellings such as "Stighall," "Stighale," and "Stighull." These variations reflect the fluid nature of spelling conventions during that time period.
In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the name was John Stighull, a landowner and wealthy merchant from the town of Stratford-upon-Avon. Records indicate that he played a significant role in the local community and was involved in various business ventures.
The 16th century saw the emergence of Richard Stigall, a prominent lawyer and judge who served during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was known for his expertise in property law and his fair rulings.
Another notable individual with the surname was William Stigall, born in 1625, who was a celebrated poet and playwright during the Restoration period. His works often explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition.
In the 18th century, the name gained further recognition with the birth of Elizabeth Stigall in 1742. She was a renowned writer and activist who advocated for women's rights and education. Her influential writings played a role in shaping the early feminist movement.
The 19th century saw the emergence of John Stigall, a renowned architect born in 1813. He was responsible for designing several iconic buildings, including the city hall in his hometown of Bristol. His innovative designs and attention to detail earned him widespread acclaim.
Throughout its history, the surname Stigall has maintained its connection to various place names and locations across England, such as Stighall Manor in Oxfordshire and Stigall's Green in Hertfordshire. These place names serve as reminders of the name's origins and its deep-rooted ties to the English countryside.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Stigall
Among Census respondents with the surname Stigall, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.6%. The next largest groups are Black (19.6%) and Two or More Races (5.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Stigall 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 Stigall surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White70.6% · 1,567
- Black or African American19.6% · 436
- Two or more races5.8% · 128
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 65
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 17
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Stigall
Stigall 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
#12,965
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,369
+141 bearers (+6.3%)
Per 100,000 0.80
Rank movement Down 239 places
2020
#13,187
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,221
-148 bearers (-6.2%)
Per 100,000 0.74
Rank movement Down 222 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,726 | 2,228 | 0.83 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,965 | 2,369 | 0.80 | +141 bearers (+6.3%) | Down 239 places |
| 2020 | #13,187 | 2,221 | 0.74 | -148 bearers (-6.2%) | Down 222 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 Stigall 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 | #12,965 | #13,187 | -1.7% |
| Count | 2,369 | 2,221 | -6.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.80 | 0.74 | -7.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Stigall bearers went from 2,369 to 2,221 (-6.2% change). The surname moved down 222 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,965 to #13,187.
FAQ
Stigall surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Stigall?
Name Census estimates that about 2,547 living Americans carry the surname Stigall. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 134,572 residents.
How common is Stigall?
Stigall ranks #13,187 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.74 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,221 people with the surname Stigall. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,547), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.74 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.74 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Stigall.
Has Stigall become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Stigall went from 2,369 recorded bearers to 2,221. That is a decrease of 148 (-6.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #12,965 to #13,187.
What does the Census say about the background of Stigall?
Among Census respondents with the surname Stigall, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.6%. The next largest groups are Black (19.6%) and Two or More Races (5.8%). 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 Stigall in the 2020 Census, accounting for 70.6% (1,567 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Stigall appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (70.6%), Black (19.6%), Two or More Races (5.8%). 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 Stigall (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 Stigall mean?
Derived from a place name meaning "steep hill" in Old English, likely referring to a person who lived near one. 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 Stigall (0.74 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 Stigall?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.