2000
#136,783
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Himsl
A German surname derived from a placename, likely referring to someone who lived near a hilly area.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Himsl. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Himsl surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Himsl in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Himsl, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.4%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Himsl
The surname HIMSL is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the 14th century in the regions of Bavaria and Swabia. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "himel," meaning "heaven" or "sky," which could indicate that the name was initially given to someone who lived in a location with a particularly striking celestial view.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name HIMSL appears in a 1389 document from the town of Augsburg, which mentions a certain "Hans Himsl" as a landowner. This suggests that the name had already established itself in the area by that time. Additionally, variations such as "Himsel" and "Himmels" can be found in historical records from the same period, indicating that spelling variations were common.
In the 16th century, the name HIMSL appears in the records of the Holy Roman Empire, with a notable figure being Johann Himsl (1495-1560), a renowned scholar and theologian who served as a professor at the University of Ingolstadt. His intellectual contributions and writings on religious matters earned him recognition among his contemporaries.
The 17th century saw the emergence of another prominent individual bearing the HIMSL name: Georg Himsl (1616-1679), a renowned architect and master builder from Bavaria. He was responsible for the construction of several notable churches and civic buildings in the region, including the St. Nikolaus Church in Eichstätt and the Jesuit Church in Dillingen.
Jumping forward to the 19th century, the name HIMSL can be found associated with a place name in the town of Himmelsfeld, located in the district of Regen in Bavaria. This connection suggests that some individuals bearing the surname may have originated from or resided in this particular location.
Another notable figure from this time period was Karl Himsl (1811-1876), a prominent German painter and lithographer who was particularly known for his landscapes and architectural depictions. His works can be found in various galleries and museums across Germany, showcasing his artistic talent and contribution to the art world.
Throughout the centuries, the HIMSL surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, builders, artists, and more. While the name may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over time, its German roots and connection to the celestial imagery of the "sky" or "heaven" remain an integral part of its historical significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Himsl
Among Census respondents with the surname Himsl, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.4%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Himsl bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Himsl surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.0% · 101
- Two or more races5.4% · 6
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Himsl
Himsl appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-6 bearers (-5.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,845 places
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+4 bearers (+3.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,963 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #136,783 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.3%) | Down 15,845 places |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.7%) | Up 3,963 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Himsl surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #152,628 | #148,665 | 2.6% |
| Count | 107 | 111 | 3.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Himsl bearers went from 107 to 111 (+3.7% change). The surname moved up 3,963 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #148,665.
FAQ
Himsl surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Himsl?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Himsl. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Himsl?
Himsl ranks #148,665 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 111 people with the surname Himsl. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Himsl.
Has Himsl become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Himsl went from 107 recorded bearers to 111. That is an increase of 4 (+3.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #152,628 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Himsl?
Among Census respondents with the surname Himsl, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.4%) and Hispanic (2.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Himsl in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.0% (101 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Himsl appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.0%), Two or More Races (5.4%), Hispanic (2.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Himsl (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Himsl mean?
A German surname derived from a placename, likely referring to someone who lived near a hilly area. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Himsl (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Himsl?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Himsl is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.