2000
#131,366
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Vernell
An occupational surname relating to a person involved in milling or crushing grain.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Vernell. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Vernell 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
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Vernell in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Vernell, the largest self-reported group is Black at 63.1%. The next largest groups are White (25.2%) and Two or More Races (7.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Vernell
The surname Vernell has its origins in France, tracing back to the early 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "vernail," which referred to a small ring or clasp used to fasten garments or armor. This naming convention was likely adopted by a family involved in the metalworking trade, particularly in the crafting of such rings or clasps.
The earliest known record of the Vernell surname can be found in the parish records of the village of Verneuil-sur-Avre in Normandy, France, dating back to the mid-1500s. It is possible that the name evolved from the place name "Verneuil," which itself stems from the Latin word "vernaculus," meaning "native" or "local."
In the 17th century, the Vernell family began to spread across various regions of France, with some members eventually settling in other parts of Europe. One notable individual from this period was Pierre Vernell, a French metalsmith born in 1628 in Rouen, who gained recognition for his intricate designs and craftsmanship.
As the surname crossed borders, it underwent slight variations in spelling, such asVernelle and Vernelle, reflecting the linguistic influences of different regions. In the late 18th century, records show a Jean-Baptiste Vernell, a French soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War alongside the Continental Army.
During the 19th century, the Vernell name appeared in several European countries, including Germany, where a family of clockmakers and watchmakers bearing the name Vernell established themselves in the town of Pforzheim, known for its rich tradition in metalworking and jewelry-making.
One of the most prominent figures with the Vernell surname was Auguste Vernell, a French painter born in 1849 in Paris. He gained recognition for his landscapes and portraits, and his works were exhibited at the prestigious Paris Salon.
Other notable individuals with the Vernell surname include:
- Marie Vernell, a French author and poet born in 1875, known for her collections of sonnets and lyrical verses.
- Heinrich Vernell, a German mathematician and astronomer born in 1891, who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.
- Émile Vernell, a Belgian sculptor born in 1903, whose works adorned several public spaces and buildings across Europe.
- Lucie Vernell, a French resistance fighter during World War II, born in 1920, who played a crucial role in the underground movement against the Nazi occupation.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Vernell
Among Census respondents with the surname Vernell, the largest self-reported group is Black at 63.1%. The next largest groups are White (25.2%) and Two or More Races (7.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Vernell 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 Vernell surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American63.1% · 65
- White25.2% · 26
- Two or more races7.8% · 8
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.9% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Vernell
Vernell 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
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-15 bearers (-12.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 24,678 places
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-1 bearers (-1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 1,862 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #131,366 | 119 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | -15 bearers (-12.6%) | Down 24,678 places |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | -1 bearers (-1.0%) | Up 1,862 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 Vernell 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 | #156,044 | #154,182 | 1.2% |
| Count | 104 | 103 | -1.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Vernell bearers went from 104 to 103 (-1.0% change). The surname moved up 1,862 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #154,182.
FAQ
Vernell surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Vernell?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Vernell. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Vernell?
Vernell ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 103 people with the surname Vernell. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Vernell.
Has Vernell become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Vernell went from 104 recorded bearers to 103. That is a decrease of 1 (-1.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Vernell?
Among Census respondents with the surname Vernell, the largest self-reported group is Black at 63.1%. The next largest groups are White (25.2%) and Two or More Races (7.8%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Vernell in the 2020 Census, accounting for 63.1% (65 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Vernell appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (63.1%), White (25.2%), Two or More Races (7.8%). 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 Vernell (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 Vernell mean?
An occupational surname relating to a person involved in milling or crushing grain. 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 Vernell (0.03 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 Vernell?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.