2000
#136,783
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Worzel
An archaic surname potentially derived from a regional English term for a basket weaver or maker.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Worzel. 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 Worzel 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 Worzel 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 Worzel, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Worzel
The surname Worzel has its origins in England and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to have initially emerged in the southwestern regions of England, particularly in areas such as Devon and Somerset. The name Worzel likely derives from the Old English word "wyrtsele," which translates to a herb garden or the place of herbs, suggesting that individuals with this surname may have been associated with gardening or herbal medicine.
Ancient records do not frequently mention the name Worzel, making early historical references somewhat rare. However, one of the earlier recorded instances of the surname can be traced back to the 13th century. Philip de Wyrtsele, mentioned in a 1273 Lincolnshire record, is one of the earliest known figures bearing a name resembling Worzel. Variations in spelling during this period were common due to the lack of standardized English spelling.
The name Worzel does not appear in prominent records like the Domesday Book, which was completed in 1086, likely because it emerged later. It was more often seen in parish registers and other local documentation from the 14th and 15th centuries. One such reference includes the 1410 will of John Worzell, a yeoman from Somerset, showcasing the surname's presence in local governance and community affairs.
By the 16th century, the surname had become more established. For example, William Worzel was recorded as a tenant farmer in the 1568 Devon tax records, indicating the occupation and social standing of those carrying the name. In the 17th century, the name continued to persist in rural communities. Eleanor Worzel, baptized in 1634, was a notable figure in her village for her reputed skill in herbal remedies, indicating the name's association with traditional medicine.
In the 18th century, the surname Worzel appears more frequently in written records. Thomas Worzel, born in 1721 and listed in the Exeter archives as a blacksmith, represents the diversification of the professions among individuals with this surname. Additionally, Elizabeth Worzel’s marriage record from 1775 in Somerset suggests the continued geographical distribution of the surname in southwestern England.
While the name Worzel might not be widely recognized today compared to other surnames, its rich etymological roots and historical appearances tie it to England's medieval and early modern periods. These historical references and recorded individuals demonstrate the surname's enduring presence in particular regions noted for their agricultural and herbal traditions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Worzel
Among Census respondents with the surname Worzel, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Worzel 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 Worzel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.3% · 93
- Two or more races8.7% · 9
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Worzel
Worzel 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
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+3 bearers (+2.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,366 places
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-13 bearers (-11.2%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 11,033 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #136,783 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.7%) | Down 6,366 places |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | -13 bearers (-11.2%) | Down 11,033 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 Worzel 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 | #143,149 | #154,182 | -7.7% |
| Count | 116 | 103 | -11.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Worzel bearers went from 116 to 103 (-11.2% change). The surname moved down 11,033 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #154,182.
FAQ
Worzel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Worzel?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Worzel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Worzel?
Worzel 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 Worzel. 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 Worzel.
Has Worzel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Worzel went from 116 recorded bearers to 103. That is a decrease of 13 (-11.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #143,149 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Worzel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Worzel, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%). 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 Worzel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.3% (93 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Worzel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.3%), Two or More Races (8.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%). 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 Worzel (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 Worzel mean?
An archaic surname potentially derived from a regional English term for a basket weaver or maker. 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 Worzel (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 common is the surname Worzel?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans have the surname Worzel at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.