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

Ertel, 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 Ertel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ertel in America

Ertel is the 13916th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ertel surname appeared 2,170 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Ertel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ertel 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 Ertel

The surname Ertel originated in Germany, with records indicating its presence dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old German word "ert," meaning "earth" or "soil," suggesting the name may have been initially associated with occupations or locations related to agriculture or land cultivation.

One of the earliest documented instances of the name Ertel can be found in the medieval town records of Nuremberg, Bavaria, where a certain Heinrich Ertel was listed as a landowner in 1284. This provides evidence of the name's early roots in southern Germany.

Throughout the centuries, the name Ertel has appeared in various historical records across German-speaking regions. For instance, in the 16th century, a renowned theologian and mathematician named Paul Ertel (1536-1596) was born in Nuremberg and made significant contributions to the fields of astronomy and cartography.

Another notable figure bearing the surname Ertel was Johann Ertel (1615-1682), a German painter and engraver from Nuremberg renowned for his intricate copperplate engravings depicting religious and allegorical scenes.

In the 18th century, the name Ertel was associated with the city of Bamberg in Bavaria, where the Ertel family was known for their involvement in the local brewing industry. Johann Georg Ertel (1738-1807), a prominent brewer and businessman from Bamberg, played a crucial role in the development of the city's beer culture during this period.

Moving into the 19th century, the name Ertel gained recognition through the works of the Austrian writer and poet Franz Ertel (1809-1883), who was born in Vienna and is considered a significant figure in the Biedermeier literary movement.

Over the centuries, the surname Ertel has undergone various spelling variations, such as Ertl, Ertel, and Erttl, reflecting regional dialects and linguistic influences within German-speaking areas. Additionally, the name has been associated with numerous place names and locations throughout Germany, including Ertelshausen, Ertelenbruch, and Ertelberg, further solidifying its deep-rooted presence in the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ertel

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!