Birchel
An English name originating from the Celtic word "bircen", meaning birch tree.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Birchel. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Birchel today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Birchel births was 1923 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Birchel. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Birchel. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1923
7 babies that year
Average age
-
1923 SSA rank
#3,508
Tracked since 1923
Popularity
Birchel: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Birchel by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Birchel during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 7 | 0 | 7 |
Geography
Where Birchels live
Origin
Meaning and history of Birchel
The name Birchel is an uncommon given name of uncertain origin, with limited historical records and references. It is believed to have originated as a variant spelling of the English surname Birchall, which derives from the Old English words "birce" meaning birch tree, and "halh" meaning nook or corner of land.
While the exact roots of the name Birchel are unclear, it is possible that it emerged as a locational surname referring to someone who lived near a birch tree or in an area abundant with birch trees. However, it is worth noting that there are no definitive records of the name being used as a given name prior to the 19th century.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the given name Birchel was Birchel Worthington, an English farmer and landowner who lived in the late 18th century. Little is known about his life, but records indicate he owned a sizable estate in the county of Cheshire.
Another notable bearer of the name was Birchel Hastings, a British explorer and adventurer born in 1832. He is said to have embarked on several expeditions to the African continent in the mid-19th century, though details of his travels and discoveries are scarce.
In the realm of literature, the name Birchel appears in the 1876 novel "The Birchel Inheritance" by Scottish author William Chambers. The book's protagonist, a young man named Birchel Sinclair, finds himself embroiled in a mystery surrounding a family fortune.
Moving into the 20th century, Birchel Whitaker was a British politician who served as a member of parliament for the constituency of Blackpool from 1931 to 1945. He was known for his advocacy of workers' rights and social welfare reforms.
Lastly, Birchel Abrams, an American artist and sculptor born in 1920, gained recognition for his abstract metal sculptures and public art installations. His work can be found in various museums and galleries across the United States.
While the name Birchel remains relatively uncommon, these examples showcase its sporadic appearance throughout history, primarily in the English-speaking world. However, due to its obscure origins and limited usage, comprehensive information on its etymology and historical significance is lacking.
People
Birchel + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Birchel as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Birchel: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Birchel?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Birchel going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about - US residents.
Is Birchel a common name?
We classify Birchel as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 7 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Birchel most popular?
The single biggest year for Birchel was 1923, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Birchel is about 0 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Birchel in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Birchel a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Birchel in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Birchel still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Birchel in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Birchel can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Birchel?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people share the name Birchel at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.