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

Hessel, 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 Hessel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hessel in America

Hessel is the 24137th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hessel surname appeared 1,042 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 Hessel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hessel 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 Hessel

The surname Hessel has its origins in the Netherlands and dates back to the early medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Dutch word "hees," meaning "hoarse" or "husky," and may have been initially used as a nickname for someone with a gruff voice or as a descriptive name for someone living near a marshy area.

The name can be traced back to the 13th century in various Dutch records and manuscripts. One of the earliest recorded instances is found in the Codex Diplomaticus Neerlandicus, a collection of historical documents from the Netherlands, where a certain "Jacobus Hessel" is mentioned as a witness to a land transfer in the year 1267.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the name appeared in various forms such as "Hessele," "Hesselinc," and "Hesselijnck," reflecting local dialects and spelling variations. One notable bearer of the name was Jan Hessel, a Dutch merchant and ship owner who lived in the city of Leiden in the late 15th century.

As the Dutch colonized various parts of the world, the name Hessel spread to other regions. In the 17th century, a Pieter Hessel was among the early Dutch settlers in New Netherland, modern-day New York. His descendants later adopted the anglicized spelling "Hassel."

Other notable individuals with the surname Hessel include:

1. Arie Hessel (1826-1908), a Dutch politician and member of the House of Representatives.
2. Theodor Hessel (1824-1904), a German philosopher and writer who was a close friend of Friedrich Nietzsche.
3. Franz Hessel (1880-1941), a German writer and translator best known for his book "Walking in Berlin."
4. Hugo Hessel (1876-1939), a German banker and art collector who owned one of the most significant private collections of modern art in the early 20th century.
5. Josephine Hessel (1899-1975), an American social worker and activist who played a crucial role in the development of the social work profession in the United States.

While the surname Hessel is not among the most common surnames globally, it has a rich history and has been borne by notable individuals across various fields, reflecting the widespread influence of Dutch culture and migration patterns.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hessel

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

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

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

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