2000
#11,423
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,531
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.94
Rare Last name
Eckel
Derived from a German nickname meaning "corner" or "angle," likely referring to someone who lived near a prominent corner.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,757 Americans carry the last name Eckel. That puts it at #12,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.80 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 124,321 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Eckel 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
2.8K
1 in 124,321
Census rank
#12,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,404 bearers of the surname Eckel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.80 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Eckel, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.2%) and Hispanic (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Eckel
The surname ECKEL is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It emerged in the regions of modern-day Bavaria and Saxony, where it was initially spelled variations like "Eckel," "Eckell," or "Eckl." The name is derived from the Old High German word "eck," meaning "corner" or "edge," suggesting a connection to a geographical location or a physical feature.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the ECKEL surname can be found in the "Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae" (Diplomatic Code of Saxony), a collection of historical documents from the 8th to the 15th centuries. The name appears in records from the 13th century, indicating its long-standing presence in the region.
During the medieval period, the ECKEL surname was often associated with noble families or landowners who held properties near prominent corners, edges, or boundaries. In some instances, the name was also given to individuals who lived or worked in such locations.
Noteworthy individuals bearing the ECKEL surname include Johannes Eckel (c. 1480-1540), a German humanist scholar and writer from Nuremberg, renowned for his Latin translations of Greek texts. Another notable figure was Hans Eckel (1551-1619), a German painter and engraver from Nuremberg, known for his religious artworks and portraits.
In the 17th century, Johannes Eckel (1609-1679) was a prominent German theologian and pastor who served as the rector of the University of Rostock. His son, Johann Friedrich Eckel (1642-1715), followed in his footsteps and became a respected Lutheran minister and writer.
In the 19th century, Johann Eckel (1823-1892) was a German botanist and mycologist who made significant contributions to the study of fungi. He published numerous works on the subject and was recognized for his expertise in mycology.
As the ECKEL surname spread across German-speaking regions, it also found its way into other European countries through migration and intermarriage. Over time, the name evolved with various spellings, such as "Eckl," "Eckle," or "Eckell," reflecting local linguistic variations and adaptations.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Eckel
Among Census respondents with the surname Eckel, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.2%) and Hispanic (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Eckel 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 Eckel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.1% · 2,213
- Two or more races3.2% · 77
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 71
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.2% · 29
- Black or African American0.4% · 10
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Eckel
Eckel 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
#12,616
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,453
-78 bearers (-3.1%)
Per 100,000 0.83
Rank movement Down 1,193 places
2020
#12,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,404
-49 bearers (-2.0%)
Per 100,000 0.80
Rank movement Up 277 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,423 | 2,531 | 0.94 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,616 | 2,453 | 0.83 | -78 bearers (-3.1%) | Down 1,193 places |
| 2020 | #12,339 | 2,404 | 0.80 | -49 bearers (-2.0%) | Up 277 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 Eckel 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 | #12,616 | #12,339 | 2.2% |
| Count | 2,453 | 2,404 | -2.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.83 | 0.80 | -3.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Eckel bearers went from 2,453 to 2,404 (-2.0% change). The surname moved up 277 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,616 to #12,339.
FAQ
Eckel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Eckel?
Name Census estimates that about 2,757 living Americans carry the surname Eckel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 124,321 residents.
How common is Eckel?
Eckel ranks #12,339 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.80 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,404 people with the surname Eckel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,757), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.8 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.80 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Eckel.
Has Eckel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Eckel went from 2,453 recorded bearers to 2,404. That is a decrease of 49 (-2.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #12,616 to #12,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Eckel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Eckel, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.2%) and Hispanic (3.0%). 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 Eckel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.1% (2,213 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Eckel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.1%), Two or More Races (3.2%), Hispanic (3.0%). 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 Eckel (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 Eckel mean?
Derived from a German nickname meaning "corner" or "angle," likely referring to someone who lived near a prominent corner. 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 Eckel (0.80 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 Eckel?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.