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

Hetzel, 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 Hetzel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hetzel in America

Hetzel is the 9061st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hetzel surname appeared 3,607 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 Hetzel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hetzel 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 Hetzel

The surname Hetzel is of German origin, traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated from the Old German word "hetze," which means "hunt" or "chase." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals involved in hunting activities or those residing in areas known for their hunting grounds.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Hetzel surname can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Anhaltinus, a collection of medieval documents from the Anhalt region of Germany, dating back to the 13th century. The name appears in various forms, such as Hetzele, Hetzil, and Hetzel, indicating its evolution over time.

In the 15th century, the Hetzel surname gained prominence in the city of Nuremberg, where records show several individuals bearing this name. Notably, Hans Hetzel (1455-1522), a renowned goldsmith and engraver, was born and worked in Nuremberg during this period.

The Hetzel name also has ties to the town of Hetzelsdorf, located in the present-day Austrian state of Lower Austria. This place name, which likely influenced the surname, dates back to the 12th century and is derived from the Old German words "hetze" and "dorf," meaning "hunt" and "village," respectively.

One of the most famous individuals with the Hetzel surname was Pierre-Jules Hetzel (1814-1886), a French publisher and writer. He is best known for publishing the works of renowned authors such as Victor Hugo and Jules Verne. Hetzel's publishing house, Librairie Hetzel, played a significant role in popularizing literature and promoting education in 19th-century France.

Other notable individuals with the Hetzel surname include:

1. Johann Hetzel (1610-1683), a German theologian and mathematician.
2. Johann Ludwig Hetzel (1677-1746), a German Lutheran theologian and philosopher.
3. Philipp Jakob Hetzel (1769-1839), a German painter and engraver.
4. Gustav Hetzel (1828-1892), a German architect and urban planner.
5. Karl Hetzel (1873-1957), a German artist and illustrator.

While the Hetzel surname is predominantly associated with Germany and its neighboring regions, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its roots can be traced back to the German-speaking areas of Central Europe, where it has a rich history and linguistic heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hetzel

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

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

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

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