2000
#126,400
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 125
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Bebel
A surname potentially derived from a nickname or diminutive of the given name Barbara or Beatrice.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Bebel. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bebel 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
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Bebel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bebel, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Black (7.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bebel
The surname Bebel is believed to have originated in Germany, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the German word "bebe," which means to tremble or shake. This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone who was known for shaking or trembling.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bebel can be found in the parish records of Saxony, where a Johann Bebel was listed as a resident in the town of Leipzig in the year 1568. The name also appears in various church records and legal documents from that time period in other parts of Germany, such as Bavaria and Württemberg.
In the 17th century, the name Bebel was associated with a notable German writer and satirist, Johann Balthasar Bebel. Born in 1637 in Strasbourg (which was then part of the Holy Roman Empire), Bebel was known for his biting satire and criticism of the clergy and nobility. His works, such as the collection of poems titled "Allegorical Representations," were influential in their time and contributed to the development of German literature.
Another notable figure with the surname Bebel was Ferdinand August Bebel, a German socialist politician who lived from 1840 to 1913. Bebel was a founding member of the Social Democratic Workers' Party of Germany (SDAP) and played a significant role in the development of the German labor movement. He served as a member of the Reichstag (German parliament) for many years and was a prominent voice for workers' rights and social reforms.
In the late 19th century, the name Bebel also appeared in the records of several German-speaking communities in the United States. For example, a Johann Bebel was listed as a resident of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in the 1880 census. This suggests that some individuals with the surname Bebel immigrated to America during that period.
Another notable figure with the name Bebel was August Bebel, a German politician and writer who lived from 1840 to 1913. He was a co-founder of the Social Democratic Party of Germany and served as a member of the Reichstag for many years. Bebel was a prominent voice for workers' rights and social reforms, and his writings on socialism and women's rights were influential in their time.
The surname Bebel continues to be found in Germany and other parts of Europe, as well as in communities with German ancestry around the world. While not a particularly common name, it has a rich history and cultural significance, reflecting its origins as a nickname and its association with notable individuals throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bebel
Among Census respondents with the surname Bebel, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Black (7.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Bebel 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 Bebel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.2% · 95
- Black or African American7.8% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bebel
Bebel 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
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
-5 bearers (-4.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,828 places
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-17 bearers (-14.2%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 14,954 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #126,400 | 125 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.0%) | Down 12,828 places |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | -17 bearers (-14.2%) | Down 14,954 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 Bebel 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 | #139,228 | #154,182 | -10.7% |
| Count | 120 | 103 | -14.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bebel bearers went from 120 to 103 (-14.2% change). The surname moved down 14,954 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #154,182.
FAQ
Bebel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bebel?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Bebel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Bebel?
Bebel ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 103 people with the surname Bebel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Bebel.
Has Bebel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bebel went from 120 recorded bearers to 103. That is a decrease of 17 (-14.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Bebel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bebel, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Black (7.8%). 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 Bebel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.2% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bebel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.2%), Black (7.8%). 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 Bebel (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 Bebel mean?
A surname potentially derived from a nickname or diminutive of the given name Barbara or Beatrice. 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 Bebel (0.03 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 share the surname Bebel?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.