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

Harmel, 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 Harmel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Harmel in America

Harmel is the 42858th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Harmel surname appeared 505 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 Harmel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Harmel 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 Harmel

The surname Harmel originated in France during the medieval period, likely between the 12th and 14th centuries. It is derived from the Old French word "hermel," which means "ermine," a type of weasel prized for its white winter fur. The name may have been occupational, referring to someone who traded or worked with ermine pelts.

Harmel is believed to have evolved from the place name Ermenonville, located in the northern French region of Île-de-France. Early records show variations like Hermele, Hermel, and Hermelay. The name appears in historical documents from the 13th century onward, such as the Cartulaire de Notre-Dame de Paris and the Rôles de l'Échiquier de Normandie.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Jehan Hermel, a merchant from Paris mentioned in a 1292 tax record. Another notable figure was Guillemin Harmel, a 14th-century French knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War against the English.

In the 16th century, the Harmel family established themselves as prominent landowners in the Champagne region of northeastern France. Jean Harmel (1520-1592) was a distinguished lawyer and member of the Parlement of Paris, the highest court in the kingdom.

During the 17th century, the Harmel family produced several notable figures, including Pierre Harmel (1624-1704), a Benedictine monk and theologian who authored several religious works. His nephew, François Harmel (1655-1718), was a respected architect who designed several churches and public buildings in Paris.

In the 19th century, Jacques Harmel (1817-1891) was a prominent French industrialist and philanthropist. He founded a textile factory in the town of Val-des-Bois, which became a model community for workers and their families, featuring housing, schools, and healthcare facilities.

While the Harmel surname is primarily French in origin, it has also spread to other parts of Europe and beyond through migration and intermarriage. However, the name remains most deeply rooted in its ancestral homeland of France, where it has a rich historical legacy spanning several centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Harmel

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

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

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

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