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

Hamel, 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 Hamel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hamel in America

Hamel is the 3294th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hamel surname appeared 10,944 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Hamel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hamel 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 Hamel

The surname HAMEL is of French origin and can be traced back to the 11th century in the northern regions of France. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "hamel," which referred to a small village or hamlet. This name likely originated as a locational name for someone who lived in or came from a hamlet.

One of the earliest known recordings of the surname HAMEL can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "de Hamele," indicating its French roots and locational significance.

In the 12th century, a nobleman named Robert de Hamel was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire, England, in 1165. This record provides evidence of the surname's early presence in England, potentially brought over by Norman settlers after the conquest in 1066.

During the 13th century, the name HAMEL appeared in various historical documents across France and England. For instance, Radulfus de Hamel was recorded in the Curia Regis Rolls of Bedfordshire, England, in 1212, while Jean de Hamel was mentioned in the Cartulaire de l'abbaye de Saint-Bertin in France in 1268.

One notable figure with the surname HAMEL was Johannes de Hamel, a French scholar and theologian born in the late 13th century. He was a professor at the University of Paris and wrote several works on theology and philosophy.

In the 16th century, the name HAMEL gained prominence in England with figures like Thomas Hamel, a prominent merchant and alderman in the City of London who was born around 1520. He was known for his philanthropic work and supported the establishment of Christ's Hospital, a renowned school for underprivileged children.

Another influential individual was Pierre Hamel, a French explorer and navigator born in 1615. He was part of several expeditions to the New World and contributed to the exploration and mapping of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the St. Lawrence River in present-day Canada.

As the surname spread across Europe, variations in spelling emerged, such as Hamill, Hammill, and Hamelle, reflecting regional differences in pronunciation and record-keeping practices.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hamel

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

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

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

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