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

Emmel, 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 Emmel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Emmel in America

Emmel is the 29661st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Emmel surname appeared 794 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 Emmel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Emmel 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 Emmel

The surname Emmel is of German origin, with its roots stretching back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "amal," which means "industrious" or "hardworking." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive nickname for someone who was diligent and hardworking in their profession.

The earliest known instances of the Emmel surname can be traced back to the southern regions of Germany, particularly in areas like Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Records from the 13th and 14th centuries mention individuals with variations of the name, such as Ammel, Emmele, and Emmelich, residing in these regions.

One of the earliest documented references to the Emmel name can be found in a 14th-century manuscript from the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, which mentions a certain "Hans Emmelich" as a respected tradesman. This record provides valuable insight into the early use and distribution of the name among skilled artisans and craftsmen of the time.

In the 16th century, the Emmel surname gained prominence through the work of Johann Emmel, a renowned German cartographer and engraver born in Nuremberg in 1520. His detailed maps and atlases were widely sought after and contributed significantly to the advancement of cartography during the Renaissance period.

Another notable figure bearing the Emmel surname was Johann Emmel, a German theologian and philosopher born in Saxony in 1652. His scholarly works on ethics and metaphysics were highly influential in academic circles during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

The Emmel name was also associated with a prominent German family of artists and architects in the 18th and 19th centuries. Johann Emmel (1745-1823), a renowned architect from Darmstadt, designed several notable buildings, including the Schlosskirche in Meisenheim. His son, Friedrich Emmel (1780-1854), and grandson, Franz Emmel (1814-1874), both achieved recognition as accomplished painters and sculptors.

In the 19th century, the Emmel surname gained further recognition through the work of August Emmel (1819-1901), a German-born American artist and lithographer. He became known for his vivid depictions of landscapes and scenes from the American West, capturing the spirit of the frontier era.

While the Emmel surname is relatively uncommon today, its historical roots and associations with skilled craftsmen, scholars, and artists serve as a testament to the industrious and hardworking nature that the name originally embodied.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Emmel

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

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

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

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