2000
#43
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 371,953
First available Census row
Per 100,000 137.88
Common Last name
Campbell
A Scottish and Irish surname derived from a Gaelic nickname meaning "crooked mouth" or "wry-mouthed."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 424,925 Americans carry the last name Campbell. That puts it at #48 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 123.97 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 807 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Campbell 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 Campbell with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
425K
1 in 807
Census rank
#48
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
124.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
371K
common in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 370,555 bearers of the surname Campbell in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 123.97 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 48th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Campbell, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.7%. The next largest groups are Black (20.2%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Campbell
The surname Campbell has its origins in Scotland, first appearing in the 13th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words 'cam' meaning crooked and 'beul' meaning mouth or entry, referring to a crooked or winding field or stream near the dwelling place of the family. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was 'de Cambel' in 1249.
The Campbells were a powerful Highland clan, and their name is associated with several notable figures in Scottish history. One of the earliest recorded members of the clan was Sir Duncan Campbell, who fought alongside Robert the Bruce in the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century.
The Campbells held significant influence and territories in Argyll and the Western Isles of Scotland. Their clan seat was Castle Campbell, also known as Gloom Castle, which dates back to the 15th century. The Campbells were also closely associated with the town of Inveraray, where they had a stronghold.
In the 16th century, the Campbells played a prominent role in the Protestant Reformation in Scotland. The 4th Earl of Argyll, Archibald Campbell (1507-1558), was a leading supporter of the reformer John Knox and helped establish Protestantism in the country.
Another notable Campbell was John Campbell, Duke of Argyll and Greenwich (1678-1743), a Scottish nobleman and military leader who played a significant role in the Jacobite risings and the Union of England and Scotland.
The surname Campbell has also been associated with several notable literary figures, including the Scottish novelist and playwright James Campbell (1817-1888) and the American novelist and essayist John W. Campbell (1910-1971), who was influential in the development of science fiction.
Other notable Campbells include Sir Colin Campbell (1776-1847), a British Army officer who served in the Peninsular War and the Indian Rebellion of 1857, and Thomas Campbell (1777-1844), a Scottish poet known for his patriotic works such as "The Pleasures of Hope" and "Ye Mariners of England".
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Campbell
Among Census respondents with the surname Campbell, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.7%. The next largest groups are Black (20.2%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Campbell 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 Campbell surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White70.7% · 262,018
- Black or African American20.2% · 74,872
- Two or more races4.3% · 15,824
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 13,068
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 2,444
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 2,329
Timeline
Historical Census data for Campbell
Campbell 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
#47
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 386,157
+14,204 bearers (+3.8%)
Per 100,000 130.91
Rank movement Down 4 places
2020
#48
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 370,555
-15,602 bearers (-4.0%)
Per 100,000 123.97
Rank movement Down 1 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #43 | 371,953 | 137.88 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #47 | 386,157 | 130.91 | +14,204 bearers (+3.8%) | Down 4 places |
| 2020 | #48 | 370,555 | 123.97 | -15,602 bearers (-4.0%) | Down 1 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 Campbell 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 | #47 | #48 | -2.1% |
| Count | 386,157 | 370,555 | -4.0% |
| Per 100K | 130.91 | 123.97 | -5.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Campbell bearers went from 386,157 to 370,555 (-4.0% change). The surname moved down 1 positions in the national ranking, going from #47 to #48.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Campbell
FAQ
Campbell surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Campbell?
Name Census estimates that about 424,925 living Americans carry the surname Campbell. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 807 residents.
How common is Campbell?
Campbell ranks #48 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Common." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 123.97 per 100,000 residents, which is about 124 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 370,555 people with the surname Campbell. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (424,925), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 123.97 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 123.97 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 124 of them to have the surname Campbell.
Has Campbell become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Campbell went from 386,157 recorded bearers to 370,555. That is a decrease of 15,602 (-4.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #47 to #48.
What does the Census say about the background of Campbell?
Among Census respondents with the surname Campbell, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.7%. The next largest groups are Black (20.2%) and Two or More Races (4.3%). 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 Campbell in the 2020 Census, accounting for 70.7% (262,018 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Campbell appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (70.7%), Black (20.2%), Two or More Races (4.3%). 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 Campbell (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 Campbell mean?
A Scottish and Irish surname derived from a Gaelic nickname meaning "crooked mouth" or "wry-mouthed." 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 Campbell (123.97 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 Campbell?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.