2000
#124,872
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Gfell
A German surname derived from a hill or mountain location.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 132 Americans carry the last name Gfell. That puts it at #145,757 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,596,624 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gfell 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
132
1 in 2,596,624
Census rank
#145,757
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
115
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 115 bearers of the surname Gfell in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145757th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gfell, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Black (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gfell
The surname GFELL is believed to have originated in the German-speaking regions of Central Europe, likely during the medieval period. The etymology of the name is uncertain, but it may derive from an old Germanic word or phrase that has since been lost or altered over time.
One possible origin of GFELL is from a place name or geographical feature, as many surnames were derived from the locations where families resided or the areas they came from. It could have roots in a small village, hamlet, or even a specific landform or landmark that no longer exists or has been renamed.
While there are no definitive historical references to the name GFELL in prominent ancient manuscripts or records, such as the Domesday Book, the earliest known examples of the surname date back to the 15th and 16th centuries in various parts of Germany and neighboring regions.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the GFELL surname was Hans Gfell, a farmer and landowner who lived in the town of Schwäbisch Gmünd, located in present-day Baden-Württemberg, Germany. He was born around 1470 and is mentioned in local tax records from the late 15th century.
In the 17th century, a notable figure named Jakob Gfell (1592-1654) was a respected theologian and professor at the University of Tübingen. He published several works on theology and religious philosophy during his lifetime.
Another individual of note was Katarina Gfell (1688-1762), a skilled weaver and textile artisan from the town of Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany. Her intricate tapestries and woven works were highly sought after by nobles and affluent patrons throughout the region.
During the 18th century, Johann Gfell (1715-1786) was a prominent architect and master builder who designed and oversaw the construction of several churches and public buildings in the Franconian region of Germany.
In the 19th century, Friedrich Gfell (1824-1891) was a renowned landscape painter and artist from the city of Munich. His romantic and idyllic depictions of the Bavarian countryside and Alpine scenery were celebrated throughout Europe during his lifetime.
These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname GFELL who have left their mark on history, but there may be many others whose stories and contributions have been lost over time. The name's origins and meanings remain shrouded in mystery, but its presence throughout the centuries in various parts of Central Europe is a testament to its enduring legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gfell
Among Census respondents with the surname Gfell, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Black (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Gfell 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 Gfell surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.7% · 110
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 4
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gfell
Gfell 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
#137,327
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
-5 bearers (-3.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,455 places
2020
#145,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
-7 bearers (-5.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,430 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #124,872 | 127 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #137,327 | 122 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-3.9%) | Down 12,455 places |
| 2020 | #145,757 | 115 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-5.7%) | Down 8,430 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 Gfell 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 | #137,327 | #145,757 | -6.1% |
| Count | 122 | 115 | -5.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gfell bearers went from 122 to 115 (-5.7% change). The surname moved down 8,430 positions in the national ranking, going from #137,327 to #145,757.
FAQ
Gfell surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gfell?
Name Census estimates that about 132 living Americans carry the surname Gfell. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,596,624 residents.
How common is Gfell?
Gfell ranks #145,757 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 115 people with the surname Gfell. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (132), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Gfell.
Has Gfell become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gfell went from 122 recorded bearers to 115. That is a decrease of 7 (-5.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #137,327 to #145,757.
What does the Census say about the background of Gfell?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gfell, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Black (0.9%). 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 Gfell in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.7% (110 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gfell appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.7%), Hispanic (3.5%), Black (0.9%). 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 Gfell (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 Gfell mean?
A German surname derived from a hill or mountain location. 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 Gfell (0.04 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 Gfell?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.