Explore the Family Name Heal
The meaning of Heal
English: 1. topographic or habitational name for someone who lived in or by a nook or hollow, or at a place called with this word (from Middle English hele, Old English heale, dative singular of healh ‘nook or hollow’). Hele in Somerset derives from this word, but the surname arises chiefly from one or more of the many minor localities named Heal(e) or Hele in Devon. In southwestern England and Kent this is an equivalent of Hale. 2. in the southeast Midlands of England, perhaps a variant of Hell 1. 3. variant of Eele, which is in most cases a variant of Ell, but in some cases from Middle English ele ‘eel’ (Old English ǣl), perhaps a nickname for someone of slippery character.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Heal in the United States?
According to data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Heal" has seen significant changes over the years. In 2000, it was ranked 6554 in terms of prevalence, then dropped to 14827 by 2010, indicating a decrease of approximately 126.23%. The count of people with this surname decreased by over half -58.08% - from 4769 in 2000 to 1999 in 2010. Similarly, the proportion of individuals with this surname per 100,000 people fell by 61.58%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,554 | #14,827 | -126.23% |
| Count | 4,769 | 1,999 | -58.08% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.77 | 0.68 | -61.58% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Heal
The data from the Decennial U.S. Census also provides an interesting insight into the ethnicity of individuals with the surname "Heal". From 2000 to 2010, there was a significant increase in the percentage of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (163.16%) and Hispanic (194.15%). Interestingly, the percentage of individuals identifying as White also increased by 15.73%, whereas those identifying as Black saw a substantial decrease of -76.66%. Additionally, the percentages of individuals identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native and those of two or more races decreased by -47.37% and -8.16% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 70.2% | 81.24% | 15.73% |
| Hispanic | 3.42% | 10.06% | 194.15% |
| Black | 23.78% | 5.55% | -76.66% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.57% | 1.5% | 163.16% |
| Two or More Races | 1.47% | 1.35% | -8.16% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.57% | 0.3% | -47.37% |