Explore the Family Name Idle
The meaning of Idle
1. English: variant of Idell. 2. Welsh: from the personal name Ith(a)el, Old Welsh Iudhail ‘bountiful lord’. Compare Ethell, Bithell. 3. Americanized form of German Eitel.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Idle in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Idle held a rank of 46,426 in popularity in 2000, and slightly decreased to a rank of 47,006 by 2010. This represents a minor drop of 1.25% over the decade. The count of people bearing this surname, however, saw an increase from 432 in 2000 to 452 in 2010, an overall growth of 4.63%. The proportion of individuals with the surname Idle per 100,000 fell by 6.25%, moving from 0.16 in 2000 to 0.15 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #46,426 | #47,006 | -1.25% |
| Count | 432 | 452 | 4.63% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.16 | 0.15 | -6.25% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Idle
When examining ethnic identity, the majority of individuals with the surname Idle identified as white in both 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census. However, there was a notable decrease in this group over the decade, dropping from 95.14% to 85.62%. Even though the percentage of those identifying as Hispanic and Black were lower, these groups experienced substantial increases. The Hispanic population rose from 1.85% in 2000 to 3.98% in 2010, a change of 115.14%, while the Black population jumped from 2.08% to 8.41%, a surge of 304.33%. For those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native, the proportions remained at zero for both census years. Interestingly, the category of two or more races emerged in 2010, accounting for 1.55% of the Idle surname bearers.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.14% | 85.62% | -10.01% |
| Black | 2.08% | 8.41% | 304.33% |
| Hispanic | 1.85% | 3.98% | 115.14% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 1.55% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |