Find out how popular the last name Ahl is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Ahl.

Ahl, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Ahl surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ahl in America

Ahl is the 18018th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ahl surname appeared 1,549 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Ahl.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ahl to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Ahl

The surname AHL has its origins in Germany, where it first emerged in the late 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old German word "ahl," which means "alder tree" or "stream." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near an alder tree or a stream.

In the 13th century, the name can be found in various records and manuscripts from the region of Bavaria, particularly in the areas around the cities of Augsburg and Munich. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is a reference to a family called "Ahlen" in a document from the Benedictine monastery in Andechs, dated 1237.

The name AHL also appears in the Codex Traditionum Monasterii Reichenbacensis, a medieval manuscript that chronicles the history of the Reichenbach Abbey in Bavaria. This document, which dates back to the early 13th century, mentions several individuals with the surname AHL or variations of it, such as "Ahler" and "Ahlinger."

One notable figure in the history of the AHL surname is Johannes Ahl, a German scholar and theologian who lived in the 15th century (1435-1508). He was a professor at the University of Ingolstadt and wrote several works on theology and philosophy.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Georg Ahl, a German artist and engraver who lived in the 16th century (1556-1633). He is known for his intricate copper engravings and woodcuts, many of which depicted biblical scenes and landscapes.

In the 17th century, the name AHL can be found in records from the Palatinate region of Germany, where it was sometimes spelled as "Ahlen" or "Ahler." One notable Ahl from this period was Johann Georg Ahl (1645-1717), a Protestant theologian and philosopher who served as a professor at the University of Heidelberg.

The surname AHL also has a connection to the city of Aalen in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. While the city's name is spelled differently, it is believed to share the same linguistic root as the surname AHL, likely referring to the alder trees or streams in the area.

Another noteworthy figure with the surname AHL is Johann Christoph Ahl (1727-1802), a German architect and builder who was active in the late 18th century. He was responsible for the construction of several notable buildings in the city of Kassel, including the Fridericianum museum and the Staatstheater.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ahl

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Ahl.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Ahl was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Ahl has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Ahl was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Ahl, please contact us.

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