Telle last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Telle

A surname derived from a variant of the French phrase "à telle" meaning "from that place."

Telle, 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 Telle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Telle in America

Telle is the 57234th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Telle surname appeared 356 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 Telle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Telle 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 57234 56687 0.96%
Count 356 337 5.48%
Proportion per 100k 0.12 0.12 0.00%

The history of the last name Telle

The surname Telle originates from France, specifically the northern regions of Normandy and Brittany. It emerged in the Middle Ages, likely derived from the Old French word "telle," which means "such" or "like this." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive nickname or a reference to a distinguishing characteristic or trait.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Telle can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Telle," suggesting its French origins and the presence of Norman settlers in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

In the 13th century, the name Telle appeared in various medieval records and charters across northern France. One notable example is Roger Telle, a prominent landowner and nobleman from Normandy, who was mentioned in a charter dated 1245.

During the 14th century, the name Telle began to spread beyond its original regions, appearing in records from other parts of France and even neighboring countries like Belgium and the Netherlands. This was likely due to migration and the increasing mobility of people during this period.

One notable individual bearing the surname Telle was Jean Telle, a French composer and organist who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Born in Toul, France, around 1560, he is known for his contributions to sacred music and his compositions for the organ.

Another significant figure was Antoine Telle, a French Protestant theologian and clergyman who lived from 1627 to 1691. He was born in Normandy and became a prominent figure in the Reformed Church of France, serving as a pastor and participating in various religious debates and controversies during his lifetime.

In the 18th century, the name Telle continued to be found in various parts of Europe, including France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. One notable individual was Pierre-Lambert Telle, a French artist and engraver who lived from 1728 to 1792. He was born in Ghent, Belgium, and became known for his etchings and engravings depicting landscapes and architectural scenes.

The 19th century saw the surname Telle spread further across Europe and even into other parts of the world due to immigration and migration. One notable figure was Émile Telle, a French poet and writer who lived from 1831 to 1908. Born in Normandy, he gained recognition for his poetry collections and works celebrating the natural beauty of his native region.

In conclusion, the surname Telle has a rich history spanning centuries and originating from northern France. It has been associated with various notable individuals throughout history, from landowners and noblemen to artists, composers, and writers. Despite its French roots, the name has also spread to other parts of Europe and beyond, reflecting the movement and migration of people over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Telle

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

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 Telle was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 87.64% 312
Non-Hispanic Black Only 2.81% 10
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 8.43% 30

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 Telle has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 87.64% 83.68% 4.62%
Black 2.81% 4.45% -45.18%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% 0.00% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Two or More Races (S)% 2.08% (S)%
Hispanic 8.43% 9.79% -14.93%

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

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

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Telle last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 21, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/telle-surname-popularity/.

"Telle last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/telle-surname-popularity/. Accessed 21 May, 2025

Telle last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/telle-surname-popularity/.

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