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

Herschel, 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 Herschel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Herschel in America

Herschel is the 80419th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Herschel surname appeared 236 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 Herschel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Herschel 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 Herschel

The surname HERSCHEL is of German origin, deriving from the Middle High German personal name "Herschel" or "Herche," which itself is a diminutive form of the Old German name "Hericho." This name ultimately traces back to the Germanic words "heri" (army) and "ger" (spear), suggesting it may have initially referred to a warrior or soldier.

The name HERSCHEL first appeared in the historical records of the German states in the 13th century. One of the earliest known bearers was Heinricus Herschel, mentioned in a document from the town of Chemnitz in Saxony, dating back to 1287.

HERSCHEL can also be linked to various place names in Germany, such as Herschfeld and Herschberg, which may have influenced the development of the surname in certain regions. The name's spelling has evolved over time, with variations like Herschell, Hertzell, and Hirtzel appearing in different areas.

A notable historical figure bearing this surname was Sir John Herschel (1792-1871), an English mathematician, astronomer, and chemist, who was also the son of the famous astronomer Sir William Herschel (1738-1822). Sir John Herschel made significant contributions to the field of photography and was a pioneer in the study of fingerprints.

Other notable individuals with the surname HERSCHEL include:

1. Caroline Lucretia Herschel (1750-1848), a German-born British astronomer, who assisted her brother William Herschel and discovered several comets.

2. Clemens Herschel (1842-1930), a German-American chess master and writer on chess.

3. Dietrich Herschel (1670-1742), a German composer and organist.

4. Friedrich Wilhelm Herschel (1733-1822), a German-born British astronomer and the older brother of Sir William Herschel.

The surname HERSCHEL has a rich history rooted in German linguistic origins, with connections to various place names and notable figures across different fields, particularly in astronomy and science.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Herschel

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

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

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

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