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

Hermel, 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 Hermel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hermel in America

Hermel is the 123796th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hermel surname appeared 139 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 Hermel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hermel 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 Hermel

The surname HERMEL is believed to have originated in Germany, potentially during the medieval period around the 12th or 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "hermel," which referred to a type of stoat or weasel. This suggests the name may have initially been an occupational surname given to furriers or hunters who worked with these animals.

One of the earliest known historical references to the HERMEL surname can be found in the town records of Nuremberg, Germany, dating back to the late 15th century. These records mention a family by the name of Hermel residing in the area.

In the 16th century, there are documented instances of the HERMEL name appearing in various parts of Germany, such as Saxony and Bavaria. The spelling variations at the time included Hermel, Hermell, and Hermele.

Notably, Hans Hermel, a German painter born around 1500 in Naumburg, gained recognition for his religious artworks commissioned by churches and monasteries in the region.

During the 17th century, the HERMEL surname spread to other parts of Europe, including France and the Netherlands. In the Dutch city of Utrecht, records show a merchant named Jan Hermel who lived and worked there in the mid-1600s.

In the 18th century, the HERMEL name appeared in various German-speaking regions, including Prussia and the Rhineland. One notable figure was Johann Georg Hermel, a theologian and scholar born in 1720 in Saxony, who wrote extensively on religious and philosophical topics.

As the HERMEL family continued to migrate and settle in different areas, the surname underwent further spelling variations, such as Hermele, Hermelee, and Hermelin.

By the 19th century, individuals with the HERMEL surname could be found in various parts of Europe and even in North America, where German immigrants had settled. One example is Friedrich Hermel, a German-American artist born in 1845 in Prussia, who later emigrated to the United States and gained recognition for his landscape paintings.

Throughout history, the HERMEL surname has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including artists, scholars, merchants, and more, reflecting the rich tapestry of cultures and experiences associated with this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hermel

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

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

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

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