2000
#126,400
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 125
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Glasel
A German surname derived from a Germanic word meaning "glass" or "glassmaker".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Glasel. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Glasel 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Glasel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Glasel, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Black (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Glasel
The surname Glasel is believed to have originated in Germany, with its earliest known records dating back to the 13th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old German word "glas," meaning "glass," suggesting that the original bearers of this surname may have been involved in the glass-making trade or lived near a glassworks.
One of the earliest documented instances of the Glasel name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of medieval documents from Saxony, where a certain "Henricus Glasel" is mentioned in a record from 1287. This suggests that the name had already been established in the region by that time.
In the 14th century, the name appears in various other historical records across Germany, including the Bavarian State Archives, which mention a "Cunradus Glasel" in 1368. This indicates that the name had spread beyond its presumed place of origin and was being adopted by families in different parts of the country.
During the 15th century, the Glasel surname gained prominence in the city of Nuremberg, where a family of glassmakers and merchants bearing this name rose to considerable wealth and influence. One notable member of this family was Hans Glasel (1430-1498), a successful businessman and city councilor who played a significant role in the economic and political affairs of Nuremberg.
Another prominent individual with the Glasel surname was Johann Glasel (1522-1587), a Lutheran theologian and reformer who served as a professor at the University of Wittenberg and was a close associate of Martin Luther. His theological works and contributions to the Reformation movement were widely recognized during his lifetime.
In the 17th century, the Glasel name appears in various records related to the Thirty Years' War, including mentions of soldiers and military officers bearing this surname. One such individual was Captain Friedrich Glasel (1612-1678), who served in the Imperial Army and was noted for his bravery and leadership during the conflict.
As the centuries passed, the Glasel surname continued to be found throughout Germany and other parts of Europe, with various branches of the family establishing themselves in different regions and pursuing various professions and occupations.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Glasel
Among Census respondents with the surname Glasel, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Black (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Glasel 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 Glasel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.7% · 97
- Hispanic or Latino6.5% · 7
- Black or African American1.9% · 2
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Glasel
Glasel 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
-23 bearers (-18.4%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 32,032 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
+5 bearers (+4.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,793 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #126,400 | 125 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | -23 bearers (-18.4%) | Down 32,032 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.9%) | Up 6,793 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 Glasel 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 | #151,639 | 4.3% |
| Count | 102 | 107 | 4.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 19.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Glasel bearers went from 102 to 107 (+4.9% change). The surname moved up 6,793 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #151,639.
FAQ
Glasel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Glasel?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Glasel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Glasel?
Glasel ranks #151,639 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 107 people with the surname Glasel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), 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 Glasel.
Has Glasel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Glasel went from 102 recorded bearers to 107. That is an increase of 5 (+4.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Glasel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Glasel, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Black (1.9%). 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 Glasel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.7% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Glasel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.7%), Hispanic (6.5%), Black (1.9%). 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 Glasel (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 Glasel mean?
A German surname derived from a Germanic word meaning "glass" or "glassmaker". 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 Glasel (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 Americans have the surname Glasel?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.