2000
#10,022
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,967
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.10
Rare Last name
Fishel
A German and Jewish occupational surname derived from the Middle High German "vischære," meaning a fisherman or fish seller.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,394 Americans carry the last name Fishel. That puts it at #10,344 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.99 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 100,988 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fishel 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
3.4K
1 in 100,988
Census rank
#10,344
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,960 bearers of the surname Fishel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.99 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10344th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fishel, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fishel
The surname FISHEL originated in Germany during the 13th century. It is derived from the Middle High German word "vischel," which means "small fish." The name likely referred to someone who caught or sold small fish for a living.
During the Middle Ages, many surnames were based on occupations or trades. The FISHEL surname was likely given to a family involved in the fishing industry, whether as fishermen, fish mongers, or those who lived near bodies of water where fishing was common.
One of the earliest known references to the FISHEL name can be found in a 14th-century German census record from the town of Augsburg. The record mentions a "Hans Vischel" residing in the city at that time.
In the 15th century, the FISHEL name appeared in various forms, such as "Fischel" and "Fischele," reflecting regional spelling variations. These variations were common before the standardization of written languages.
The first known person of note with the FISHEL surname was Johann Fischel, a German philosopher and theologian born in 1497. He was a influential figure during the Protestant Reformation and authored several works on religious doctrine.
Another notable FISHEL was Anna Fischel, a 16th-century German painter known for her portraits and religious scenes. Her work can still be found in several museums and churches across Germany.
In the 17th century, the FISHEL name spread to other parts of Europe, including the Netherlands and England. One prominent individual from this era was Willem Fischel, a Dutch merchant and explorer who traveled extensively throughout the East Indies and wrote accounts of his voyages.
During the 18th century, the FISHEL surname gained prominence in the field of medicine. Johann Fischel (1733-1804) was a respected German physician and anatomist who made significant contributions to the study of human anatomy.
In the 19th century, the FISHEL name appeared in various parts of the world, including the United States. One notable American with this surname was Samuel Fishel (1823-1895), a Union Army officer during the American Civil War who later became a successful businessman and philanthropist.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fishel
Among Census respondents with the surname Fishel, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Fishel 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 Fishel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.3% · 2,701
- Two or more races2.9% · 86
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 78
- Black or African American2.0% · 59
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 21
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 15
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fishel
Fishel 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
#10,292
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,131
+164 bearers (+5.5%)
Per 100,000 1.06
Rank movement Down 270 places
2020
#10,344
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,960
-171 bearers (-5.5%)
Per 100,000 0.99
Rank movement Down 52 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,022 | 2,967 | 1.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,292 | 3,131 | 1.06 | +164 bearers (+5.5%) | Down 270 places |
| 2020 | #10,344 | 2,960 | 0.99 | -171 bearers (-5.5%) | Down 52 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 Fishel 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 | #10,292 | #10,344 | -0.5% |
| Count | 3,131 | 2,960 | -5.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.06 | 0.99 | -6.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fishel bearers went from 3,131 to 2,960 (-5.5% change). The surname moved down 52 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,292 to #10,344.
FAQ
Fishel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fishel?
Name Census estimates that about 3,394 living Americans carry the surname Fishel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 100,988 residents.
How common is Fishel?
Fishel ranks #10,344 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.99 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 2,960 people with the surname Fishel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,394), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.99 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.99 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 Fishel.
Has Fishel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fishel went from 3,131 recorded bearers to 2,960. That is a decrease of 171 (-5.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #10,292 to #10,344.
What does the Census say about the background of Fishel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fishel, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Fishel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.3% (2,701 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fishel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.3%), Two or More Races (2.9%), Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Fishel (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 Fishel mean?
A German and Jewish occupational surname derived from the Middle High German "vischære," meaning a fisherman or fish seller. 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 Fishel (0.99 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 have the last name Fishel?
You can see how many people have the surname Fishel on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.