2000
#3,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,042
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.72
Uncommon Last name
Vail
Derived from a Middle English topographic term referring to a person who lived in or near a valley.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 11,577 Americans carry the last name Vail. That puts it at #3,456 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.38 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 29,606 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Vail 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 Vail with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
12K
1 in 29,606
Census rank
#3,456
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
10K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,096 bearers of the surname Vail in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.38 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3456th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Vail, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.0%) and Black (4.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Vail
The surname Vail originated in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "val," meaning a valley or dale. This suggests that the name may have initially been used to identify someone who lived in a valley or near a valley region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Vail can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land holdings and property in England. The Domesday Book mentions a person named "Radulfus de val," which translates to Ralph from the valley.
In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records with different spellings, such as "de Val," "de Valle," and "de Vail." These variations likely reflect the changing spellings and pronunciations of the name over time.
The surname Vail is also linked to several place names in England, such as Vale Royal in Cheshire and Vallis in Shropshire. These place names may have influenced the adoption of the surname by families living in or near these areas.
One notable individual with the surname Vail was Sir Harry Vail (1588-1662), an English politician and Member of Parliament during the English Civil War. He was a staunch Royalist and supported King Charles I against the Parliamentarians.
Another significant figure was Benjamin Vail (1773-1844), an American inventor and gunsmith from New Jersey. He is credited with developing the first fully revolving firearm, known as the Vail Revolver, which paved the way for modern revolvers.
Thomas Hubbard Vail (1807-1859) was an American businessman and co-founder of the American Telegraph Company, which played a crucial role in the development of the telegraph system in the United States.
Alfred Vail (1807-1859) was a renowned American machinist and inventor who collaborated with Samuel Morse to develop the Morse code and the electromagnetic telegraph system. He played a vital role in the practical implementation of the telegraph and is considered a pioneer in the field of telecommunications.
Anna Murray Vail (1828-1915) was an American abolitionist and a prominent figure in the Underground Railroad. She was married to Lewis Vail, and their home in Brooklyn served as a safe haven for escaped enslaved individuals seeking freedom in the North.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname Vail, demonstrating the rich heritage and significance of this name in various fields and contexts.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Vail
Among Census respondents with the surname Vail, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.0%) and Black (4.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Vail 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 Vail surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.3% · 8,307
- Hispanic or Latino8.0% · 807
- Black or African American4.8% · 483
- Two or more races3.6% · 361
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 99
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 39
Timeline
Historical Census data for Vail
Vail 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
#3,385
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,554
+512 bearers (+5.1%)
Per 100,000 3.58
Rank movement Down 115 places
2020
#3,456
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,096
-458 bearers (-4.3%)
Per 100,000 3.38
Rank movement Down 71 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,270 | 10,042 | 3.72 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,385 | 10,554 | 3.58 | +512 bearers (+5.1%) | Down 115 places |
| 2020 | #3,456 | 10,096 | 3.38 | -458 bearers (-4.3%) | Down 71 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 Vail 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 | #3,385 | #3,456 | -2.1% |
| Count | 10,554 | 10,096 | -4.3% |
| Per 100K | 3.58 | 3.38 | -5.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Vail bearers went from 10,554 to 10,096 (-4.3% change). The surname moved down 71 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,385 to #3,456.
FAQ
Vail surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Vail?
Name Census estimates that about 11,577 living Americans carry the surname Vail. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 29,606 residents.
How common is Vail?
Vail ranks #3,456 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.38 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,096 people with the surname Vail. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (11,577), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.38 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.38 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Vail.
Has Vail become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Vail went from 10,554 recorded bearers to 10,096. That is a decrease of 458 (-4.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,385 to #3,456.
What does the Census say about the background of Vail?
Among Census respondents with the surname Vail, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.0%) and Black (4.8%). 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 Vail in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.3% (8,307 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Vail appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.3%), Hispanic (8.0%), Black (4.8%). 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 Vail (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 Vail mean?
Derived from a Middle English topographic term referring to a person who lived in or near a valley. 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 Vail (3.38 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 share the surname Vail?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.