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

Arbel, 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 Arbel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Arbel in America

Arbel is the 144141st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Arbel surname appeared 115 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Arbel.

The history of the last name Arbel

The surname Arbel is believed to have originated from the Hebrew language, derived from the Biblical place name "Arbel" mentioned in the Book of Hosea. The name is thought to be connected to the ancient Israelite village of Arbel, located in the lower Galilee region of what is now northern Israel.

Arbel was a small fortified town situated on a steep hill overlooking the Sea of Galilee during biblical times. The name is thought to be derived from the Hebrew root word "revel," meaning "God's ambush" or "God's waiting." This may refer to the strategic location of the town, which allowed it to serve as a lookout point or ambush site.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Arbel can be found in the Responsa literature, a written record of rabbinical legal opinions from the 10th century CE. This suggests that the surname was already in use among Jewish communities in the Middle Ages.

In the 12th century, a notable Jewish scholar and philosopher named Rabbi Moses ben Samuel Arbel lived in Seville, Spain. He was known for his commentaries on various religious texts and his contributions to Jewish philosophy.

During the 13th century, a prominent Talmudic scholar named Rabbi Judah ben Samuel Arbel resided in the city of Toledo, Spain. He was highly regarded for his expertise in Jewish law and authored several influential works on the subject.

In the 16th century, a Jewish physician and philosopher named Isaac Arbel lived in Italy. He is known for his writings on medicine and his contributions to the study of Aristotelian philosophy.

Another notable figure with the surname Arbel was Joseph Arbel, a 17th-century rabbi and scholar from Poland. He was renowned for his expertise in Talmudic studies and his extensive knowledge of Jewish law.

While the surname Arbel has its roots in the Hebrew language and Jewish communities, it has since spread to other parts of the world, likely due to migration and cultural exchange. However, the earliest and most significant references to the name can be traced back to its biblical and Jewish origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Arbel

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

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 Arbel 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.

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 Arbel was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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