2000
#147,095
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Fiegle
A German surname derived from the word "vogel" meaning "bird".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 112 Americans carry the last name Fiegle. That puts it at #156,269 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,060,307 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fiegle 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
112
1 in 3,060,307
Census rank
#156,269
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
98
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 98 bearers of the surname Fiegle in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156269th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fiegle, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fiegle
The surname FIEGLE is of German origin, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in the areas surrounding the city of Augsburg. The name is thought to be derived from the Old High German word "fidilin," which translates to "fiddle" or "violin."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name FIEGLE can be found in the Augsburg Stadtbuch, a historical document dating back to the 14th century. In this text, a certain "Hans Fiegle" was mentioned as a resident of the city, suggesting that the name had already established itself in the region by that time.
During the 15th century, the name FIEGLE appeared in several other historical records, including the Nuremberg Burgerbuch, which documented the names of citizens in the city of Nuremberg. This further solidifies the name's prevalence in southern Germany during the late medieval and early modern periods.
In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the surname FIEGLE was Johann Fiegle, a renowned violinist and composer from Augsburg. Born in 1522, Johann Fiegle is credited with contributing to the development of the violin as a solo instrument and is considered one of the earliest virtuosos of the instrument.
Another noteworthy individual with the surname FIEGLE was Hans Fiegle, a prominent merchant and banker who lived in the city of Ulm during the 17th century. Records indicate that he played a significant role in the city's economic affairs and was a respected member of the local community.
As the centuries progressed, the name FIEGLE continued to be associated with various professions and trades. In the 18th century, a certain Michael Fiegle was a well-known luthier (stringed instrument maker) based in the town of Mittenwald, Bavaria. His violins and other instruments were highly regarded for their craftsmanship and quality.
The 19th century saw the name FIEGLE spread beyond the borders of Germany, with some individuals bearing this surname migrating to other parts of Europe and even to the Americas. One such person was Wilhelm Fiegle, a German immigrant who settled in the United States in the mid-1800s and became a successful farmer in the state of Ohio.
Throughout its history, the surname FIEGLE has been associated with various occupations and professions, ranging from musicians and craftsmen to merchants and farmers. While its origins can be traced back to the southern regions of Germany, the name has since spread to other parts of the world, carrying with it a rich cultural heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fiegle
Among Census respondents with the surname Fiegle, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
The bar chart below shows how Fiegle 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 Fiegle surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White100.0% · 98
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fiegle
Fiegle 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
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-1 bearers (-1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 11,337 places
2020
#156,269
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 98
-4 bearers (-3.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 2,163 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #147,095 | 103 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | -1 bearers (-1.0%) | Down 11,337 places |
| 2020 | #156,269 | 98 | 0.03 | -4 bearers (-3.9%) | Up 2,163 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 Fiegle 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 | #158,432 | #156,269 | 1.4% |
| Count | 102 | 98 | -3.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 9.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fiegle bearers went from 102 to 98 (-3.9% change). The surname moved up 2,163 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #156,269.
FAQ
Fiegle surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fiegle?
Name Census estimates that about 112 living Americans carry the surname Fiegle. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,060,307 residents.
How common is Fiegle?
Fiegle ranks #156,269 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 98 people with the surname Fiegle. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (112), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Fiegle.
Has Fiegle become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fiegle went from 102 recorded bearers to 98. That is a decrease of 4 (-3.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #156,269.
What does the Census say about the background of Fiegle?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fiegle, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%. 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 Fiegle in the 2020 Census, accounting for 100.0% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fiegle appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (100.0%). 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 Fiegle (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 Fiegle mean?
A German surname derived from the word "vogel" meaning "bird". 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 Fiegle (0.03 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 Fiegle?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.