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

Hirzel, 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 Hirzel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hirzel in America

Hirzel is the 45253rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hirzel surname appeared 473 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 Hirzel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hirzel 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 Hirzel

The surname Hirzel originates from Switzerland, tracing its roots back to the early Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Old High German words "hirz" or "hirs," meaning "deer" or "stag." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive one, potentially referring to someone who lived in an area frequented by deer or perhaps someone who hunted these animals.

The earliest recorded instances of the Hirzel surname can be found in various Swiss historical documents dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries. One notable mention appears in the cartulary of the monastery of Rüti, near Zurich, from the year 1245, which references a certain "Ulricus dictus Hirzel" (Ulrich called Hirzel).

Over the centuries, the name has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest was Johannes Hirzel, a Swiss theologian and reformer born in Zurich in 1508. He played a significant role in the Swiss Reformation, working closely with prominent figures like Huldrych Zwingli.

Another historical figure bearing the Hirzel surname was Hans Kaspar Hirzel, a Swiss painter and engraver who lived from 1737 to 1815. His work, particularly his etchings and engravings, captured the landscapes and daily life of Switzerland during that era.

In the realm of literature, Salomon Hirzel (1804-1877) was a renowned Swiss philologist and publisher. He founded the prestigious publishing house Verlag S. Hirzel, which continues to operate to this day, specializing in academic and scholarly works.

The Hirzel name has also been associated with various place names in Switzerland, such as the village of Hirzel in the canton of Zurich, which likely derived its name from the surname itself.

Another notable figure was Johann Kaspar Hirzel, a Swiss politician and statesman born in 1725. He served as the mayor of Zurich and played a crucial role in the political affairs of Switzerland during the tumultuous years of the French Revolutionary Wars.

Throughout its long history, the Hirzel surname has maintained a strong presence in Switzerland, particularly in the German-speaking regions. While it may have originated as a descriptive name related to deer or hunting, it has evolved into a respected family name with numerous accomplished individuals across various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hirzel

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!