2000
#127,948
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Traigle
A surname derived from a German dialect word meaning "traveler" or "wanderer".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Traigle. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Traigle 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Traigle in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Traigle, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Traigle
The surname Traigle has its origins traced back to the region of Alsace, France, dating back to the early 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Germanic word "tragen," meaning "to carry" or "to bear," potentially referring to an occupation or a physical trait.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the records of the village of Obernai, Alsace, where a "Hans Traigle" was mentioned in a land transaction document from 1528. The name also appears in several other historical records from the region during that time period, often spelled variations such as "Treygle" or "Treigle."
In the 17th century, the name Traigle began to appear in records from neighboring regions, including parts of Germany and Switzerland, suggesting the migration of families bearing this surname. This coincided with the tumultuous times of the Thirty Years' War, which led to significant population movements across Europe.
One notable individual with the surname Traigle was Johannes Traigle (1632-1704), a renowned clockmaker from the town of Strasbourg, whose intricate timepieces were highly sought after by the affluent of the era. His apprentice, Friedrich Traigle (1678-1742), continued the family legacy and became a respected horologist in his own right.
Another significant figure was Katherina Traigle (1710-1785), a prominent landowner and philanthropist from the village of Riquewihr, Alsace. She was known for her generous donations towards the construction of the local church and the establishment of a school for underprivileged children.
In the late 18th century, the name Traigle began to appear in records from other parts of Europe, likely due to the migration of families seeking better opportunities. One such example is Johann Traigle (1756-1822), a skilled woodcarver from Bavaria who settled in Prague and was commissioned to create intricate wooden sculptures for several churches in the city.
As the centuries progressed, the surname Traigle also found its way across the Atlantic, with families settling in various parts of North America. One notable individual was William Traigle (1824-1892), a successful entrepreneur from Pennsylvania who made his fortune in the lumber industry and was instrumental in the development of several towns in the region.
Throughout its history, the surname Traigle has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, each contributing to the rich tapestry of its legacy. While the name may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over time, its origins remain firmly rooted in the historic region of Alsace, France.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Traigle
Among Census respondents with the surname Traigle, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Traigle 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 Traigle surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.5% · 108
- Hispanic or Latino7.6% · 9
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Traigle
Traigle 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
#133,048
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
+4 bearers (+3.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,100 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-9 bearers (-7.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,463 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #127,948 | 123 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,048 | 127 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.3%) | Down 5,100 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.1%) | Down 10,463 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 Traigle 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 | #133,048 | #143,511 | -7.9% |
| Count | 127 | 118 | -7.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Traigle bearers went from 127 to 118 (-7.1% change). The surname moved down 10,463 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,048 to #143,511.
FAQ
Traigle surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Traigle?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Traigle. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Traigle?
Traigle ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Traigle. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Traigle.
Has Traigle become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Traigle went from 127 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 9 (-7.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,048 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Traigle?
Among Census respondents with the surname Traigle, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%). 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 Traigle in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.5% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Traigle appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.5%), Hispanic (7.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%). 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 Traigle (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 Traigle mean?
A surname derived from a German dialect word meaning "traveler" or "wanderer". 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 Traigle (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 have the surname Traigle?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.