How Many People Are Named Ethel Waters?
There are approximately 7 people named Ethel Waters living in the United States today. That makes this name combination very rare, occurring at a rate of about 1 in 48,964,905 Americans.
This estimate combines SSA birth records for the first name Ethel with Census Bureau frequency data for the surname Waters. Below you will find a breakdown of both names, including popularity trends, gender data, and ancestry information.
Estimated People with This Name
7
1 in 48,964,905 Americans
Combination Rarity
Very Rare
First Name
View full profileEthel
Last Name
View full profileWaters
Ethel: Popularity Over Time
Year-by-year SSA birth registrations for the first name Ethel. The peak year was 1918 with 8,110 births. The average person named Ethel today is 77 years old.
Ancestry of the Waters Surname
Self-reported race and ethnicity breakdown for people with the surname Waters, from the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau.
How we calculated this
The first name "Ethel" has an estimated frequency of < 0.0001% among living Americans, based on SSA birth records from 1880 to 2024 adjusted for mortality using CDC 2023 life tables.
The surname "Waters" appears at a rate of 23.03 per 100,000 people in the 2010 U.S. Census.
Multiplying these frequencies against the U.S. population of ~343 million gives 7 estimated people. This assumes first names and last names are statistically independent. Full methodology.
Other people named Ethel
Other people with the surname Waters
Ethel Waters: Questions and Answers
How many people are named Ethel Waters?
We estimate approximately 7 people named Ethel Waters are alive in the United States today. The first name Ethel is shared by 31,037 Americans, and the surname Waters is shared by 77,356.
How rare is the name Ethel Waters?
This name combination is classified as Very Rare, occurring at a rate of about 1 in 48,964,905 Americans. The first name Ethel is uncommon and the surname Waters is uncommon.
Is Ethel a male or female name?
Ethel is predominantly female, with 0.5% of bearers being male and 99.5% female. It peaked in popularity in 1918 and the average bearer today is 77 years old.
Where does this data come from?
First name data comes from the Social Security Administration (1880 to 2024), adjusted for survival using CDC 2023 life tables. Surname data comes from the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau. Full methodology.
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