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

Henkel, 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 Henkel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Henkel in America

Henkel is the 6595th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Henkel surname appeared 5,135 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Henkel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Henkel 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 Henkel

The surname Henkel is of German origin, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 14th century. It is believed to have originated from the Middle High German word "henkel," which means "handle" or "loop." This likely referred to an occupation or trade related to the production or use of handles, such as a maker of pots, cups, or other vessels with handles.

The name Henkel was initially concentrated in various regions of Germany, including Bavaria, Saxony, and the Rhineland. It is found in historical records from these areas, such as church registers and tax rolls. One of the earliest known references to the name appears in a document from the town of Nuremberg, dated 1372, which mentions a "Hans Henkel."

Over the centuries, the Henkel surname has had several variations in spelling, including Henckel, Hengkel, and Henkell. These variations were often the result of regional dialects or scribal errors in record-keeping. The name has also been associated with certain place names in Germany, such as Henkelhausen and Henkelberg, although the exact connection between these places and the surname is unclear.

Notable individuals with the surname Henkel throughout history include:

1. Johann Henkel (1517-1598), a German theologian and Protestant reformer.
2. Peter Henkel (1630-1696), a German Pietist minister and founder of the Henkel Press in New Germantown, Pennsylvania.
3. Gerhard Henkel (1782-1858), a German industrialist and founder of the Henkel Company, known for its household products.
4. Wilhelm Henkel (1825-1910), a German-American businessman and co-founder of the Henkel Brewing Company in Belleville, Illinois.
5. Otto Henkel (1888-1962), a German chemist and industrialist who served as the CEO of the Henkel Company from 1920 to 1952.

The Henkel surname has been carried across various parts of the world through migration and diaspora, particularly from Germany to North America, where it is still prevalent today. However, this report focuses solely on the historical origins and development of the surname, without delving into modern census data or its use as a given name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Henkel

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

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

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

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