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

Eckels, 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 Eckels surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Eckels in America

Eckels is the 19053rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Eckels surname appeared 1,429 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Eckels.

We can also compare 2010 data for Eckels 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 Eckels

The surname Eckels is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the 14th century. It is believed to have originated in the region of Bavaria, derived from the Old German word "ecka," meaning "corner" or "edge." This suggests that the name may have initially been used to identify someone who lived near a prominent corner or edge of a town or village.

The earliest known records of the name Eckels can be found in the historical documents of the city of Nuremberg, dating back to the late 1300s. These documents mention individuals with variations of the name, such as Eckelin, Eckelein, and Eckelmann, indicating that the spelling has evolved over time.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Eckels was Johannes Eckels, a merchant who lived in Nuremberg in the early 15th century. Records show that he was a prominent member of the local guild of traders and played a significant role in the city's economic affairs.

Another notable figure was Hans Eckels, a renowned clockmaker who lived in the city of Augsburg in the late 16th century. His intricate and innovative timepieces were highly sought after by wealthy patrons across Europe, and his work is still celebrated by horologists and historians alike.

In the 17th century, the name Eckels appeared in various regions of Germany, with several notable individuals bearing the surname. Johann Eckels, born in 1625 in the town of Bamberg, was a respected theologian and author who contributed to the religious and intellectual discourse of his time.

Moving forward to the 18th century, the Eckels name gained prominence in the field of architecture. Georg Eckels, born in 1712 in the city of Würzburg, was a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings, including the grand palace of the Prince-Bishop of Bamberg.

As the Eckels family dispersed across Germany and beyond, the name took on various spellings, including Eckel, Eckl, and Eckels. Despite these variations, the name's origins and significance remained tied to its German heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Eckels

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

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

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

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