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

Geisel, 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 Geisel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Geisel in America

Geisel is the 22944th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Geisel surname appeared 1,115 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 Geisel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Geisel 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 Geisel

The surname Geisel originates from Germany, with roots traced back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the German word "Geisel," which means "hostage" or "pledge." This suggests that the name may have originated from an occupation or circumstance related to hostage-taking or pledging.

The earliest known record of the Geisel surname dates back to the 13th century in the region of Saxony, Germany. One of the earliest documented instances is found in the Breviarium Sanctae Lucie Coenobio Schutterense, a medieval manuscript from the Schuttern Abbey in Baden, which mentions a "Conradus Geisel" in 1289.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various German records, such as the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, which mentions a "Johannes Geisel" in 1375. During this time, the surname was also associated with various place names, such as Geiselbach and Geiselwind, indicating the potential origin of the name from these locations.

One notable figure bearing the Geisel surname was Johann Geisel (1548-1612), a German theologian and writer who served as a professor at the University of Wittenberg. He was a prominent figure in the Lutheran Reformation and authored several works on theology and philosophy.

Another historical figure was Gottlob Friedrich Geisel (1766-1818), a German jurist and legal scholar who served as the Syndic of the University of Leipzig. He played a significant role in the development of German legal education and wrote extensively on civil law and legal theory.

In the 19th century, the Geisel surname gained further prominence with the birth of Theodor Geisel (1904-1991), better known by his pen name Dr. Seuss. He was an acclaimed American children's author, illustrator, and cartoonist, famous for his beloved books such as "The Cat in the Hat" and "Green Eggs and Ham."

Another notable individual with the Geisel surname was Eugen Geisel (1844-1888), a German sculptor and painter who specialized in historical and allegorical works. His sculptures adorned many public buildings and monuments in Germany during the late 19th century.

While the Geisel surname is predominantly German in origin, it has also been found in other parts of Europe, including Austria and Switzerland, likely due to migration and intermarriage over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Geisel

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

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

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

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