2000
#129,619
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Batsel
A Flemish surname derived from the Dutch word 'batse' meaning 'bundle' or 'sheaf.'
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Batsel. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Batsel surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Batsel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Batsel, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.3%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Batsel
The surname BATSEL is believed to have originated in Germany, with its roots dating back to the 15th century. The name is derived from the German word "batzel," which means "bundle" or "package," suggesting that the surname may have been given to someone who worked as a peddler or merchant carrying goods in bundles.
Early records of the BATSEL name can be found in various German chronicles and documents from the late medieval period. One of the earliest known references to the name is in a 1487 manuscript from the town of Nürnberg, where a man named Hans BATSEL is mentioned as a local tradesman.
In the 16th century, the BATSEL name began to spread across different regions of Germany. Several variations of the spelling emerged, including BATZELL, BATZL, and BÄTZEL. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of local record-keepers.
The BATSEL surname also found its way into other parts of Europe, particularly in areas with German-speaking populations. In the 18th century, there are records of BATSEL families living in the Netherlands and Switzerland, indicating that the name had traveled beyond its German origins.
One notable figure bearing the BATSEL surname was Johann BATSEL, a German artist and engraver who lived from 1639 to 1701. His intricate engravings and etchings were highly regarded during his lifetime and are now considered valuable works of art.
Another prominent individual with the BATSEL name was Wilhelm BATSEL, a German philosopher and professor who lived from 1788 to 1868. He taught at various universities in Germany and published several influential works on ethics and moral philosophy.
In the 19th century, the BATSEL surname made its way to North America, as many German immigrants sought new opportunities in the United States and Canada. One notable American BATSEL was Jacob BATSEL, a farmer and businessman who lived from 1812 to 1892 in Pennsylvania.
Other notable individuals with the BATSEL surname include Hans BATSEL, a German soldier who fought in the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), and Katharina BATSEL, a midwife and healer who lived in the German town of Freiburg in the late 17th century.
While the BATSEL name may not be as common today as some other surnames, its rich history and diverse origins serve as a testament to the varied cultural and linguistic influences that have shaped many family names over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Batsel
Among Census respondents with the surname Batsel, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.3%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Batsel bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Batsel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.2% · 100
- Hispanic or Latino10.3% · 12
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Batsel
Batsel appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#142,108
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
-4 bearers (-3.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,489 places
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,920 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #129,619 | 121 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #142,108 | 117 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.3%) | Down 12,489 places |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 2,920 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Batsel surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #142,108 | #145,028 | -2.1% |
| Count | 117 | 116 | -0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Batsel bearers went from 117 to 116 (-0.9% change). The surname moved down 2,920 positions in the national ranking, going from #142,108 to #145,028.
FAQ
Batsel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Batsel?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Batsel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Batsel?
Batsel ranks #145,028 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 116 people with the surname Batsel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Batsel.
Has Batsel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Batsel went from 117 recorded bearers to 116. That is a decrease of 1 (-0.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #142,108 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Batsel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Batsel, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.3%) and Two or More Races (1.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Batsel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.2% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Batsel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.2%), Hispanic (10.3%), Two or More Races (1.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Batsel (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Batsel mean?
A Flemish surname derived from the Dutch word 'batse' meaning 'bundle' or 'sheaf.' The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Batsel (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Batsel?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Batsel on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.