2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Vanosdell
A Dutch surname derived from a placename meaning "from the valley."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Vanosdell. 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 Vanosdell 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
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 Vanosdell 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 Vanosdell, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.5%) and Two or More Races (5.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Vanosdell
The surname VANOSDELL is believed to have originated in the Netherlands or Belgium, with roots dating back to the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Dutch words "van" meaning "from" and "Osdel" or "Osdell," which could have been a place name or a surname itself.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Dutch records of the city of Amsterdam from the late 1500s. In these records, the name is spelled as "van Osdell," suggesting its origins as a locational surname.
As the name spread across Europe and eventually to other parts of the world, different spellings emerged, such as VANOSDELL, VANAUSDALL, and VANAUSDELL. These variations likely arose due to differences in regional dialects and transcription errors.
In the 17th century, there are records of a VANOSDELL family residing in the German town of Hannover. It is possible that this branch of the family migrated from the Netherlands or Belgium during this period.
One notable historical figure with the surname VANOSDELL was Jan VANOSDELL, a Dutch merchant who lived in the late 16th century and was involved in the spice trade with the East Indies. His business dealings and travels were documented in several contemporary accounts.
Another individual of note was Pieter VANOSDELL, a Dutch artist born in 1635 who specialized in landscape paintings. His works were displayed in various galleries across Europe during his lifetime.
In the 18th century, the VANOSDELL surname appeared in several British colonial records, suggesting that members of the family had migrated to the American colonies. One such individual was William VANOSDELL, who was listed as a landowner in Virginia in the 1760s.
During the American Revolutionary War, there are records of a soldier named Jacob VANOSDELL serving in the Continental Army. His service and actions were documented in historical accounts of the war.
In the 19th century, a prominent figure with the VANOSDELL surname was Charles VANOSDELL, an American politician and lawyer who served as a judge in Pennsylvania from 1845 to 1860.
While the surname VANOSDELL is not among the most common, its rich history spans multiple countries and centuries, reflecting the journeys and contributions of those who have carried this name throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Vanosdell
Among Census respondents with the surname Vanosdell, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.5%) and Two or More Races (5.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Vanosdell 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 Vanosdell surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White79.4% · 85
- Hispanic or Latino7.5% · 8
- Two or more races5.6% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native4.7% · 5
- Black or African American2.8% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Vanosdell
Vanosdell 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
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+5 bearers (+4.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,487 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-3 bearers (-2.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,244 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.8%) | Down 4,487 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.7%) | Down 2,244 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 Vanosdell 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 | #149,395 | #151,639 | -1.5% |
| Count | 110 | 107 | -2.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Vanosdell bearers went from 110 to 107 (-2.7% change). The surname moved down 2,244 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #151,639.
FAQ
Vanosdell surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Vanosdell?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Vanosdell. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Vanosdell?
Vanosdell 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 Vanosdell. 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 Vanosdell.
Has Vanosdell become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Vanosdell went from 110 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #149,395 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Vanosdell?
Among Census respondents with the surname Vanosdell, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.5%) and Two or More Races (5.6%). 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 Vanosdell in the 2020 Census, accounting for 79.4% (85 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Vanosdell appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (79.4%), Hispanic (7.5%), Two or More Races (5.6%). 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 Vanosdell (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 Vanosdell mean?
A Dutch surname derived from a placename meaning "from the 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 Vanosdell (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 share the surname Vanosdell?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.