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

Kehl, 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 Kehl surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kehl in America

Kehl is the 12370th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kehl surname appeared 2,514 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 Kehl.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kehl 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 Kehl

The surname KEHL is of German origin, deriving from the German word Kehl, which refers to a throat or gullet. This name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone with a prominent or distinctive throat or as an occupational name for someone who worked with throats, such as a butcher or doctor.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname KEHL can be traced back to the 14th century in southern Germany, particularly in the regions of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. One of the earliest documented references to the name is found in the Würzburg city records from 1363, which mentions a Hans Kehl residing in the area.

In the 15th century, the name KEHL appears in various historical records and manuscripts, including the Nuremberg tax rolls from 1497, which list a Kunz Kehl as a taxpayer. Another notable mention is in the Augsburg guild records from 1472, where a Michael Kehl is registered as a member of the butchers' guild.

The town of Kehl, located on the Rhine River in southwestern Germany, may have contributed to the spread and popularity of the KEHL surname. This town dates back to the 8th century and was originally known as Cella, which could be related to the surname's meaning.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname KEHL, including:

1. Johann Kehl (1459-1516), a German Renaissance humanist and scholar from Nuremberg.
2. Matthias Kehl (1625-1701), a German composer and organist active in Württemberg.
3. Johann Baptist Kehl (1778-1849), a German Catholic theologian and writer from Freiburg.
4. Georg Kehl (1804-1876), a German architect and urban planner who designed several buildings in Frankfurt.
5. Gustav Kehl (1868-1944), a German painter and lithographer known for his landscapes and portraits.

While the surname KEHL has its roots in southern Germany, it has since spread to other parts of Europe and the world due to migration and emigration. However, it remains most prevalent in Germany, particularly in the regions where it originated.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kehl

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

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

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

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