2000
#112,365
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 145
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Beisiegel
A German surname derived from the archaic term "beisiegel", meaning a type of falcon or hawk.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 183 Americans carry the last name Beisiegel. That puts it at #115,686 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,872,975 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Beisiegel 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
183
1 in 1,872,975
Census rank
#115,686
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
160
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 160 bearers of the surname Beisiegel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 115686th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Beisiegel, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Beisiegel
The surname "BEISIEGEL" is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period in the regions of central and eastern Germany. The name is derived from the Middle High German words "bei" meaning "by" and "siegel" meaning "seal," indicating a possible connection to a profession or occupation related to sealing documents or objects.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the town records of Nuremberg, where a certain Heinricus Beisiegel is mentioned as a resident in the year 1387. The name also appears in various guild registers and municipal archives from cities like Leipzig, Erfurt, and Dresden during the 15th and 16th centuries.
In the 17th century, a notable figure bearing the Beisiegel name was Johann Beisiegel (1622-1701), a Lutheran theologian and professor at the University of Jena. He authored several scholarly works on theology and philosophy during his lifetime.
Another prominent individual with the surname was Friedrich Beisiegel (1832-1907), a German architect and civil engineer known for his contributions to the design and construction of numerous public buildings and infrastructure projects across Germany in the late 19th century.
The Beisiegel name also found its way into the artistic realm with the painter and engraver Georg Beisiegel (1873-1939), whose works were exhibited in various galleries and museums throughout Europe in the early 20th century.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, variations of the surname emerged, such as Beysiegel, Beysiegl, and Beissiegl, reflecting regional dialects and spelling preferences. These variants were often used interchangeably with the original "Beisiegel" form.
In the annals of history, the Beisiegel name has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artisans, and professionals. While not as widely known as some other German surnames, it has left its mark on the cultural and historical tapestry of Germany and neighboring regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Beisiegel
Among Census respondents with the surname Beisiegel, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Beisiegel 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 Beisiegel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White98.8% · 158
- Hispanic or Latino1.3% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Beisiegel
Beisiegel 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
#112,568
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 156
+11 bearers (+7.6%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 203 places
2020
#115,686
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 160
+4 bearers (+2.6%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 3,118 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #112,365 | 145 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #112,568 | 156 | 0.05 | +11 bearers (+7.6%) | Down 203 places |
| 2020 | #115,686 | 160 | 0.05 | +4 bearers (+2.6%) | Down 3,118 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 Beisiegel 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 | #112,568 | #115,686 | -2.8% |
| Count | 156 | 160 | 2.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.05 | 7.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Beisiegel bearers went from 156 to 160 (+2.6% change). The surname moved down 3,118 positions in the national ranking, going from #112,568 to #115,686.
FAQ
Beisiegel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Beisiegel?
Name Census estimates that about 183 living Americans carry the surname Beisiegel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,872,975 residents.
How common is Beisiegel?
Beisiegel ranks #115,686 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 160 people with the surname Beisiegel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (183), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Beisiegel.
Has Beisiegel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Beisiegel went from 156 recorded bearers to 160. That is an increase of 4 (+2.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #112,568 to #115,686.
What does the Census say about the background of Beisiegel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Beisiegel, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.3%). 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 Beisiegel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.8% (158 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Beisiegel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (98.8%), Hispanic (1.3%). 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 Beisiegel (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 Beisiegel mean?
A German surname derived from the archaic term "beisiegel", meaning a type of falcon or hawk. 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 Beisiegel (0.05 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 Beisiegel?
See how many people are called Beisiegel on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.