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

Havel, 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 Havel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Havel in America

Havel is the 14458th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Havel surname appeared 2,066 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Havel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Havel 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 Havel

The surname Havel originates from the Czech Republic, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Czech word "havelka," which means "small brook" or "stream." The name likely referred to someone who lived near a small watercourse or whose occupation was associated with managing or maintaining streams.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries in Bohemia, the westernmost region of the modern-day Czech Republic. The name appears in various spellings, such as Hawel, Hawlik, and Hawelik, reflecting regional variations and the evolution of the Czech language over time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Jan Havel, a prominent member of the Hussite movement in the 15th century. He played a significant role in the Bohemian Reformation and was a close associate of the renowned reformer Jan Hus.

In the 16th century, the Havel surname gained prominence with the rise of the noble Havel family, who owned substantial landholdings in Bohemia. Notably, Vaclav Havel (1564-1622), a member of this family, served as a prominent statesman and diplomat in the service of the Holy Roman Empire.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name Havel appeared in various historical records, including parish registers and property deeds, indicating its widespread use among the Czech population.

One of the most famous individuals bearing the Havel surname was Vaclav Havel (1936-2011), a renowned playwright, essayist, and statesman who played a pivotal role in the Velvet Revolution that led to the overthrow of the Communist regime in Czechoslovakia. He served as the last president of Czechoslovakia from 1989 to 1992 and later became the first president of the Czech Republic from 1993 to 2003.

Other notable individuals with the Havel surname include:

1. Karel Havel (1890-1950), a Czech painter and graphic artist known for his landscapes and portraits.
2. Milada Horakova-Havel (1901-1950), a Czech politician and member of the resistance against the Nazi occupation, executed by the Communist regime.
3. Ivan Havel (1938-1989), a Czech actor and playwright known for his satirical works and opposition to the Communist regime.
4. Frantisek Havel (1943-2021), a Czech actor and singer who gained popularity in the former Czechoslovakia.

The surname Havel continues to be prevalent in the Czech Republic and can also be found among Czech diaspora communities worldwide, carrying with it a rich cultural heritage and historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Havel

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!