2000
#1,130
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 28,401
First available Census row
Per 100,000 10.53
Uncommon Last name
Noel
From the Old French word "noel" meaning "Christmas," likely referring to someone born on or associated with the holiday.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 36,688 Americans carry the last name Noel. That puts it at #1,077 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 10.70 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 9,342 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Noel 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 Noel with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
37K
1 in 9,342
Census rank
#1,077
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
10.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
32K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 31,994 bearers of the surname Noel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 10.70 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1077th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Noel, the largest self-reported group is White at 55.7%. The next largest groups are Black (35.0%) and Hispanic (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Noel
The surname Noel is of French origin and is derived from the Latin word "natalis," meaning "birth" or "natal day," referring to Christmas. It was initially used as a given name before becoming a hereditary surname.
The earliest recorded use of Noel as a surname dates back to the 12th century in Normandy, France. It was likely adopted by families who lived near churches or monasteries dedicated to the Nativity of Christ or by those born around Christmas time.
One of the earliest known bearers of the Noel surname was Raoul Noel, a Norman knight who accompanied William the Conqueror during the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. His name is recorded in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landholdings commissioned by William I.
In the 13th century, the Noel family became prominent landowners in Staffordshire, England. John Noel (c. 1225-1292) was a notable member of this family and served as a knight and sheriff of Staffordshire.
During the 16th century, the Noel family gained further prominence in England. Sir Andrew Noel (c. 1507-1581) was a member of Parliament and a supporter of the Protestant Reformation. His son, Edward Noel (c. 1530-1589), was also a member of Parliament and served as a justice of the peace.
In the 17th century, Baptist Noel (1616-1676) was a notable English clergyman and a prominent figure in the Particular Baptist movement. He was known for his strong opposition to religious persecution and his advocacy for religious liberty.
Another famous bearer of the Noel surname was Rennell Noel (1772-1854), a British naval officer and explorer. He was best known for his explorations of the Arctic regions and his contributions to the mapping of the Canadian Arctic.
The Noel family has also produced several notable writers and poets throughout history. Thomas Noel (1799-1861) was an English poet and playwright, while Roden Noel (1834-1894) was a renowned English poet and essayist.
Overall, the surname Noel has a rich historical legacy, tracing its roots back to Norman France and spanning various fields, including military service, politics, religion, exploration, and literature.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Noel
Among Census respondents with the surname Noel, the largest self-reported group is White at 55.7%. The next largest groups are Black (35.0%) and Hispanic (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Noel 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 Noel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White55.7% · 17,824
- Black or African American35.0% · 11,195
- Hispanic or Latino4.0% · 1,271
- Two or more races3.6% · 1,160
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.2% · 374
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 170
Timeline
Historical Census data for Noel
Noel 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
#1,103
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 31,768
+3,367 bearers (+11.9%)
Per 100,000 10.77
Rank movement Up 27 places
2020
#1,077
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 31,994
+226 bearers (+0.7%)
Per 100,000 10.70
Rank movement Up 26 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #1,130 | 28,401 | 10.53 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #1,103 | 31,768 | 10.77 | +3,367 bearers (+11.9%) | Up 27 places |
| 2020 | #1,077 | 31,994 | 10.70 | +226 bearers (+0.7%) | Up 26 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 Noel 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 | #1,103 | #1,077 | 2.4% |
| Count | 31,768 | 31,994 | 0.7% |
| Per 100K | 10.77 | 10.70 | -0.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Noel bearers went from 31,768 to 31,994 (+0.7% change). The surname moved up 26 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,103 to #1,077.
FAQ
Noel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Noel?
Name Census estimates that about 36,688 living Americans carry the surname Noel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 9,342 residents.
How common is Noel?
Noel ranks #1,077 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 10.70 per 100,000 residents, which is about 11 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 31,994 people with the surname Noel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (36,688), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 10.7 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 10.70 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 11 of them to have the surname Noel.
Has Noel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Noel went from 31,768 recorded bearers to 31,994. That is an increase of 226 (+0.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #1,103 to #1,077.
What does the Census say about the background of Noel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Noel, the largest self-reported group is White at 55.7%. The next largest groups are Black (35.0%) and Hispanic (4.0%). 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 Noel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 55.7% (17,824 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Noel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (55.7%), Black (35.0%), Hispanic (4.0%). 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 Noel (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 Noel mean?
From the Old French word "noel" meaning "Christmas," likely referring to someone born on or associated with the holiday. 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 Noel (10.70 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 Noel?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.