Explore the Family Name Nell
The meaning of Nell
1. Dutch and German: from the personal name Nel, a shortened form of Cornelius. 2. South German: nickname from Middle High German nelle ‘crown of the head’, perhaps denoting an obstinate person. 3. English: from the Middle English personal name Nelle. This may sometimes have been a variant of Nele (Nigellus, see Neal), but it was probably more often a pet form of the commoner name Elias (see Ellis) with a prosthetic N-.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Nell in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Nell" has seen significant changes between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname ranked 11,302 in prevalence, with 2,565 instances across the United States, equating to around 0.95 per 100k people bearing this name. By 2010, however, the rank had slipped to 14,378 and the count dropped to 2,079, representing a decrease in popularity of nearly 27.22% in rank and about 18.95% in count. This translates to approximately 0.7 persons per 100k having the Nell surname in 2010, marking a decline of approximately 26.32% in proportion.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #11,302 | #14,378 | -27.22% |
| Count | 2,565 | 2,079 | -18.95% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.95 | 0.7 | -26.32% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Nell
In terms of ethnicity, the Nell surname has shown some interesting shifts over the same decade as per the Decennial U.S. Census data. The percentage of those identifying as White decreased slightly from 87.56% in 2000 to 84.85% in 2010, while the Black population showed a minor decrease from 7.80% to 7.65%. The surname saw notable increases within two ethnic identities; the Asian/Pacific Islander population more than doubled, growing from 0.35% to 0.87%, and the Hispanic population also experienced growth, rising from 2.42% to 4.95%. Those stating they were part of two or more races dropped slightly from 1.60% to 1.39%, and the American Indian and Alaskan Native population saw a minimal increase from 0.27% to 0.29%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 87.56% | 84.85% | -3.1% |
| Black | 7.8% | 7.65% | -1.92% |
| Hispanic | 2.42% | 4.95% | 104.55% |
| Two or More Races | 1.6% | 1.39% | -13.13% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.35% | 0.87% | 148.57% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.27% | 0.29% | 7.41% |