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

Bickel, 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 Bickel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bickel in America

Bickel is the 4990th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bickel surname appeared 7,035 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Bickel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bickel 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 Bickel

The surname BICKEL is of German origin, deriving from the Middle High German word "bickel" or "bickel," which means "small pickaxe" or "chisel." This occupational surname was initially assigned to individuals who worked as miners, stonemasons, or quarrymen, using pickaxes and chisels as their primary tools.

The name BICKEL can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Germany, particularly in the southwestern regions such as Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. The earliest recorded instances of the name are found in medieval documents and records, although specific references are scarce due to the inconsistent record-keeping practices of the time.

One notable early mention of the name BICKEL can be found in the "Weistümer" (legal records) of the town of Weinheim in Baden-Württemberg, dated around 1300. These records document individuals with the surname BICKEL, indicating their presence in the region during that period.

In the 15th century, the surname BICKEL is mentioned in the "Bürgeraufnahmen" (citizen records) of the city of Nuremberg, suggesting that individuals bearing this name had established themselves as citizens within the city's walls. This provides evidence of the name's spreading and establishment in various parts of Germany.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname BICKEL. One such example is Johann Bickel (1598-1672), a German theologian and author who served as the court preacher to the Elector Palatine in Heidelberg. Another prominent figure was Johann Jakob Bickel (1592-1635), a German mathematician and astronomer who contributed to the development of logarithmic tables.

In the realm of arts and literature, Johann Christoph Bickel (1716-1788) was a renowned German painter and engraver, known for his religious and mythological works. Johann Friedrich Bickel (1742-1812) was a German composer and music theorist who wrote several operas and instrumental works.

Crossing into the modern era, Karl Bickel (1886-1982) was a Swiss chemist and Nobel Prize laureate in 1952 for his work on the development of synthetic rubber and the polymerization of ethylene. His contributions played a pivotal role in the advancement of polymer chemistry.

While these examples highlight the historical presence and achievements of individuals bearing the surname BICKEL, it is important to note that the name's origins and significance are deeply rooted in the occupational traditions of Germany's past, reflecting the lives and trades of those who wielded pickaxes and chisels as their tools of the trade.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bickel

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

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

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

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