2000
#56,826
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 336
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.12
Very Rare Last name
Fliegel
A German surname derived from the Middle High German word "vlieger" meaning flier or pilot.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 381 Americans carry the last name Fliegel. That puts it at #64,670 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.11 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 899,618 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fliegel 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
381
1 in 899,618
Census rank
#64,670
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
332
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 332 bearers of the surname Fliegel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.11 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 64670th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fliegel, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fliegel
The surname FLIEGEL is of German origin, with its roots traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated from the German word "fliegen," which means "to fly." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with professions or activities related to flight or birds, such as falconry or bird-keeping.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the FLIEGEL surname can be found in the 15th century in the town of Nürnberg, where a family with this name lived and worked as falconers. Historical records from this period mention a Hans FLIEGEL, who was a renowned falconer in the service of the local nobility.
In the 16th century, the FLIEGEL surname appeared in various regions of Germany, including Bavaria and Saxony. It is possible that the name spread due to the migration of families or individuals seeking new opportunities or fleeing religious persecution.
The town of Fliegel in Silesia, now part of Poland, may have derived its name from a person or family bearing the FLIEGEL surname. This suggests that the name may have been associated with landowners or prominent figures in the area.
One notable individual with the FLIEGEL surname was Johann FLIEGEL (1618-1677), a German composer and organist who served at the court of the Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst. His compositions were widely performed and highly regarded during his lifetime.
Another influential figure was Friedrich FLIEGEL (1801-1870), a German lawyer and political theorist who advocated for constitutional reforms and played a significant role in the Revolutions of 1848 in the German states.
In the 19th century, the FLIEGEL surname gained prominence in the field of aviation with the contributions of Gustav FLIEGEL (1836-1904), a German engineer and pioneer in the development of early flying machines. His experiments and designs paved the way for future advancements in aeronautics.
Another noteworthy individual was Anna FLIEGEL (1872-1953), a German educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded several schools and organizations dedicated to promoting education and empowerment for women in Germany.
The FLIEGEL surname has also been associated with various professions and fields over the centuries, including artists, scientists, and entrepreneurs, further contributing to its diverse and rich history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fliegel
Among Census respondents with the surname Fliegel, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Fliegel 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 Fliegel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.8% · 308
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 11
- Two or more races2.1% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.5% · 5
- Black or African American0.3% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fliegel
Fliegel 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
#59,017
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 343
+7 bearers (+2.1%)
Per 100,000 0.12
Rank movement Down 2,191 places
2020
#64,670
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 332
-11 bearers (-3.2%)
Per 100,000 0.11
Rank movement Down 5,653 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #56,826 | 336 | 0.12 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #59,017 | 343 | 0.12 | +7 bearers (+2.1%) | Down 2,191 places |
| 2020 | #64,670 | 332 | 0.11 | -11 bearers (-3.2%) | Down 5,653 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 Fliegel 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 | #59,017 | #64,670 | -9.6% |
| Count | 343 | 332 | -3.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.12 | 0.11 | -7.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fliegel bearers went from 343 to 332 (-3.2% change). The surname moved down 5,653 positions in the national ranking, going from #59,017 to #64,670.
FAQ
Fliegel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fliegel?
Name Census estimates that about 381 living Americans carry the surname Fliegel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 899,618 residents.
How common is Fliegel?
Fliegel ranks #64,670 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.11 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 332 people with the surname Fliegel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (381), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.11 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.11 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 Fliegel.
Has Fliegel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fliegel went from 343 recorded bearers to 332. That is a decrease of 11 (-3.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #59,017 to #64,670.
What does the Census say about the background of Fliegel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fliegel, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.1%). 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 Fliegel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.8% (308 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fliegel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.8%), Hispanic (3.3%), Two or More Races (2.1%). 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 Fliegel (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 Fliegel mean?
A German surname derived from the Middle High German word "vlieger" meaning flier or pilot. 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 Fliegel (0.11 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 Americans have the surname Fliegel?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.