2000
#119,644
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 134
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Kickel
A German surname derived from a nickname meaning "small person" or "dwarf".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Kickel. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kickel 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
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Kickel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kickel, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.9%) and Black (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kickel
The surname Kickel has its origins in Germany, with the earliest known records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "kickel," which means a small bundle or package. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who worked as peddlers or merchants, carrying their wares in small bundles.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Kickel can be found in the parish records of Saxony, where a Johann Kickel was mentioned in 1587. Another early reference is found in the town of Freiburg, where a family by the name of Kickel was documented in the late 16th century.
In the 17th century, the Kickel surname appeared in various regions of Germany, including Bavaria and Württemberg. During this period, the name also underwent slight spelling variations, such as Kickel and Kückell.
One notable individual bearing the Kickel surname was Hans Kickel (1642-1718), a renowned clockmaker from the town of Augsburg. His intricate timepieces were highly sought after by nobility and wealthy patrons throughout Europe.
Another prominent figure was Friedrich Kickel (1798-1872), a German philosopher and educator who played a significant role in the development of the Prussian education system during the 19th century.
In the 18th century, the Kickel name appeared in several historical documents from the Rhineland region, including records from the city of Cologne. One such record mentions a Johann Kickel (1712-1783), a respected merchant and landowner.
The 19th century saw the Kickel surname spread to other parts of Europe and beyond. In 1842, a family by the name of Kickel emigrated from Germany to the United States, settling in the state of Pennsylvania. This marked the beginning of the Kickel lineage in America.
Another noteworthy individual was Karl Kickel (1863-1921), a German-born artist and illustrator known for his intricate etchings and engravings. His work was widely celebrated during the Art Nouveau movement in Europe.
Throughout its history, the Kickel surname has been associated with various occupations, including merchants, craftsmen, educators, and artists. While the name may have originated from a humble occupation of peddling, it has since evolved to encompass a diverse range of professions and achievements.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kickel
Among Census respondents with the surname Kickel, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.9%) and Black (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Kickel 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 Kickel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.3% · 93
- Two or more races4.9% · 5
- Black or African American2.9% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kickel
Kickel 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
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-25 bearers (-18.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 30,808 places
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-6 bearers (-5.5%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 3,730 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #119,644 | 134 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | -25 bearers (-18.7%) | Down 30,808 places |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | -6 bearers (-5.5%) | Down 3,730 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 Kickel 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 | #150,452 | #154,182 | -2.5% |
| Count | 109 | 103 | -5.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kickel bearers went from 109 to 103 (-5.5% change). The surname moved down 3,730 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #154,182.
FAQ
Kickel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kickel?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Kickel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Kickel?
Kickel ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 103 people with the surname Kickel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Kickel.
Has Kickel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kickel went from 109 recorded bearers to 103. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #150,452 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Kickel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kickel, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.9%) and Black (2.9%). 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 Kickel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.3% (93 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kickel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.3%), Two or More Races (4.9%), Black (2.9%). 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 Kickel (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 Kickel mean?
A German surname derived from a nickname meaning "small person" or "dwarf". 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 Kickel (0.03 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 have the last name Kickel?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Kickel on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.