# Earl (surname)

Source: https://namelineage.com/surname/earl/  
Publisher: Name Lineage. Counts from the US Census Bureau; origin and etymology from Wiktionary; bearers from Wikidata. Data updated 2026-11-11.

A surname originating as an occupation for service in the household of an earl, or from a nickname.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | not recorded |
| Type | occupational, named after the work an ancestor did |
| People in the US (2010 Census) | 16,027 |
| US rank (2010) | 2,270 of 162,253 |
| How often | about 1 in every 19,264 people |
| Change since 2000 | +4.4% (15,347 in 2000) |
| Pronunciation | /ɝl/, 1 syllable |
| Variant spellings | none recorded |

## Etymology

From earl (“nobleman”).

## Who carries it

Share of people named Earl in the 2010 US Census by the Census's own race and ethnicity groups. The Census suppresses a share when the count behind it is small.

| Group | Share |
|---|---|
| White (not Hispanic) | 72% |
| Black (not Hispanic) | 21% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.7% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 0.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
| Two or more races | 2.1% |

## Where

Wikidata records people named Earl in the United States and the United Kingdom.

## People named Earl

- Harley Earl, American designer (1893-1969)
- Holly Earl, British actress
- Tony Earl, American politician (1936–2023)
- Ralph Earl, American painter (1751–1801)
- Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, American basketball player (born 2000)
- Ronnie Earl, American blues guitarist
- Robbie Earl, American ice hockey player
- Maud Earl, British artist (1864-1943)
- Esther Earl, American author
- Acie Earl, American basketball player (born 1970)

## Similar surnames

Early, Earley, Earle.

## How to read these numbers

A Census count is people alive and counted in 2010, not births, and names occurring fewer than 100 times are not published at all. Ethnicity shares are the Census's own categories.