2000
#8,650
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,498
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.30
Rare Last name
Mansell
Derived from the Old French word "mauncel," meaning a young man or servant.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,885 Americans carry the last name Mansell. That puts it at #9,232 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.13 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 88,225 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mansell 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 Mansell with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.9K
1 in 88,225
Census rank
#9,232
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,388 bearers of the surname Mansell in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.13 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9232nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mansell, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.4%. The next largest groups are Black (7.1%) and Hispanic (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mansell
The surname Mansell is of English origin, derived from the Old English personal name 'Manswine', which translates to 'man's swine' or 'man's boar'. This name was likely given to someone who kept or bred pigs. The name can be traced back to the 11th century, with variations in spelling such as Maunsell, Mawnsel, and Moncell.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a person named Manswine is listed as a landowner in Oxfordshire. The name also appears in various medieval records, such as the Pipe Rolls of 1166, where a William Mansel is mentioned as a tenant in Hertfordshire.
In the 13th century, a notable member of the Mansell family was Sir John Maunsell (c. 1190-1265), who served as the Lord Chancellor of England under King Henry III. He played a significant role in the administration of the kingdom and was involved in various political affairs of the time.
Another prominent figure with the surname Mansell was Sir Rice Mansell (c. 1585-1642), a Welsh merchant and member of parliament. He was known for his involvement in the colonization of Newfoundland and his role in the establishment of the Newfoundland Company.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Mansell surname was also associated with several place names in England, such as Mansell Gamage and Mansell Lacy, both located in Herefordshire. These place names likely derived from the surname itself, indicating the presence of the Mansell family in those areas.
In the 18th century, a notable bearer of the name was Sir William Mansell (1705-1778), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War. He rose to the rank of Admiral and was knighted for his service.
Another person of note with the Mansell surname was James Mansell (1734-1824), an English engraver and portrait painter who was elected a member of the Royal Academy in 1807.
While the surname Mansell may have originated from humble beginnings, it has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout history, including nobility, merchants, military figures, and artists. The name's evolution and persistence reflect the rich tapestry of English heritage and the diverse stories woven into its fabric.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mansell
Among Census respondents with the surname Mansell, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.4%. The next largest groups are Black (7.1%) and Hispanic (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Mansell 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 Mansell surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.4% · 2,793
- Black or African American7.1% · 241
- Hispanic or Latino4.4% · 150
- Two or more races4.3% · 145
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.1% · 36
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 23
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mansell
Mansell 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
#9,283
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,506
+8 bearers (+0.2%)
Per 100,000 1.19
Rank movement Down 633 places
2020
#9,232
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,388
-118 bearers (-3.4%)
Per 100,000 1.13
Rank movement Up 51 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,650 | 3,498 | 1.30 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,283 | 3,506 | 1.19 | +8 bearers (+0.2%) | Down 633 places |
| 2020 | #9,232 | 3,388 | 1.13 | -118 bearers (-3.4%) | Up 51 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 Mansell 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 | #9,283 | #9,232 | 0.5% |
| Count | 3,506 | 3,388 | -3.4% |
| Per 100K | 1.19 | 1.13 | -4.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mansell bearers went from 3,506 to 3,388 (-3.4% change). The surname moved up 51 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,283 to #9,232.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Mansell
FAQ
Mansell surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mansell?
Name Census estimates that about 3,885 living Americans carry the surname Mansell. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 88,225 residents.
How common is Mansell?
Mansell ranks #9,232 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.13 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,388 people with the surname Mansell. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,885), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.13 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.13 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Mansell.
Has Mansell become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mansell went from 3,506 recorded bearers to 3,388. That is a decrease of 118 (-3.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,283 to #9,232.
What does the Census say about the background of Mansell?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mansell, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.4%. The next largest groups are Black (7.1%) and Hispanic (4.4%). 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 Mansell in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.4% (2,793 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mansell appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.4%), Black (7.1%), Hispanic (4.4%). 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 Mansell (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 Mansell mean?
Derived from the Old French word "mauncel," meaning a young man or servant. 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 Mansell (1.13 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 Mansell?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.