Vermell
A somewhat rare name possibly derived from the French word for "vermilion".
Name Census estimates that about 203 living Americans carry the first name Vermell. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Vermell today is around 75 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Vermell births was 1926 (25 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Vermell. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Vermell is about 75 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Vermells were born before 1961.
People living today
203
~ 1 in 1,688,445 Americans
Peak year
1926
25 babies that year
Average age
75
years old
1977 SSA rank
#11,284
Tracked since 1908
Census
Vermell in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 228 people with the first name Vermell, which placed it at #35,335 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name at the time of the Census.
The SSA sections elsewhere on this page answer a different question: how often parents gave the name to babies over time. The "people living today" figure on this page is different again: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two numbers are not expected to match exactly.
2020 Census rank
#35,335
National first-name rank
People counted
228
228 in the published race/origin table
Per 100,000
0.1
People with this name in 2020
Largest reported group
Black or African American
84.6% of people with this name
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Vermell
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Vermell is Black at 84.6%. The next largest groups are White (11.4%) and Two or More Races (3.5%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself.
The bar chart below shows how people with the first name Vermell 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 name, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown so the breakdown is easy to read across every published category. Because the 2020 Census first-name file also includes raw headcounts for each group, Name Census can show those alongside the percentages in the legend and hover tooltip.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A first name does not determine a person's race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the name Vermell at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American84.6% · 193
- White11.4% · 26
- Two or more races3.5% · 8
- Hispanic or Latino0.4% · 1
Popularity
Vermell: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Vermell from the 1900s through to the 1970s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 181 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Vermell by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Vermell during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Vermells live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida recorded the most babies named Vermell, while Alabama, Florida, Mississippi recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 71 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Vermell
The given name Vermell finds its roots in the Catalan language, which is spoken in parts of Spain, particularly in the regions of Catalonia, Valencia, and the Balearic Islands. It is derived from the Catalan word "vermell," which means "red" or "crimson." This connection to the vibrant color suggests a possible association with passion, warmth, or boldness.
Historically, the name Vermell can be traced back to the Middle Ages, with records indicating its use among the Catalan nobility and gentry. During this period, names often carried symbolic meanings or reflected personal characteristics, and the name Vermell may have been bestowed upon individuals with a fiery disposition or those born with reddish hair or complexion.
In the realm of literature, the name Vermell appears in several medieval Catalan texts, including the renowned poetry anthology known as the "Cançoner Vermell" (Red Songbook), which dates back to the 14th century. This work, preserved in the Biblioteca de Catalunya in Barcelona, is a significant cultural and linguistic treasure, showcasing the rich literary tradition of the region.
One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name Vermell was Ramon Vermell, a 13th-century Catalan nobleman and military commander who played a crucial role in the Reconquista, the Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors. His exploits and bravery on the battlefield earned him a place in the historical records of the time.
Another notable figure was Bernat Vermell, a 14th-century Catalan merchant and diplomat who served as a crucial intermediary between the Kingdom of Aragon and the Republic of Venice. His skills in negotiation and his understanding of international trade helped foster economic and cultural exchanges between these powerful entities.
In the 15th century, Jaume Vermell, a renowned Catalan painter and illuminator, gained recognition for his exquisite illuminated manuscripts and religious artworks. His vibrant use of color, particularly reds and vermilions, was a hallmark of his style, earning him widespread acclaim among patrons and collectors.
Continuing into the 16th century, Elionor Vermell was a celebrated Catalan poet and scholar whose works celebrated the beauty of nature and the human experience. Her poetic mastery and insightful observations contributed significantly to the literary landscape of the era.
Finally, in the 19th century, Francesc Vermell was a prominent Catalan architect and urban planner who played a significant role in the modernization and development of Barcelona. His innovative designs and vision for urban renewal left an indelible mark on the city's architectural heritage.
While the name Vermell may have evolved and taken on various forms over the centuries, its origins remain deeply rooted in the rich cultural tapestry of Catalonia, reflecting the region's vibrant history, linguistic traditions, and artistic expressions.
People
Vermell + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Vermell as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with V
Other first names starting with V with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Vermell: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Vermell?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 203 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Vermell going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,688,445 US residents.
Is Vermell a common name?
We classify Vermell as "Very Rare". It ranks above 74.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 726 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Vermell most popular?
The single biggest year for Vermell was 1926, when 25 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Vermell is about 75 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
How common was Vermell in the 2020 Census?
The published 2020 Census first-name tables recorded 228 people with the name Vermell, or 0.08 per 100,000 residents. That placed it at #35,335 in the national Census ranking for first names.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census figure is a count of people who had the name Vermell in 2020. The living estimate aims to answer a current question instead: how many people with the name are alive today, based on SSA birth records and age-based survival rates. Since one number is a 2020 snapshot and the other is a present-day estimate, they are not expected to be identical.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Vermell?
In the 2020 Census sex table, Vermell leans strongly female. 225 people counted with this name were female (97.8%), compared with 5 male bearers (2.2%). The Census view is a snapshot of people living with the name in 2020, while the SSA section above tracks births across time.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Vermell?
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Vermell is Black at 84.6%. The next largest groups are White (11.4%) and Two or More Races (3.5%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself. The percentages in the chart above come from self-reported race and Hispanic-origin responses in the 2020 Census.
Which group reports the name Vermell most often in the Census?
Black is the largest reported group for people named Vermell in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.6% (193 people in the published table).
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census Bureau published separate 2020 tables for sex and for race/Hispanic origin, and the released figures can differ slightly because of privacy protection in the public files. That is why this page treats the gender section and the race/origin section as two related snapshots instead of forcing them into one identical total.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only includes names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files have no Census demographic snapshot. When that happens, the SSA trend, gender history, and state sections still appear, but the 2020 Census demographic sections are omitted.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Vermell in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Vermell a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Vermell in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Vermell still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Vermell in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Vermell can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
How many people share the name Vermell?
You can see how many people share the name Vermell on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.