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

Koelbel, 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 Koelbel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Koelbel in America

Koelbel is the 98982nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Koelbel surname appeared 183 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 Koelbel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Koelbel 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 Koelbel

The surname Koelbel originates from Germany and dates back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the old German word "kohle," meaning charcoal, suggesting that the name's earliest bearers may have been charcoal burners or workers in a related trade.

The name was initially concentrated in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. It has also been found in various spellings, such as Kohlbel, Kohlbacher, and Kohlbauer, reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Koelbel can be found in the German church records of Hessen, where a certain Hans Koelbel was mentioned in 1587. Another notable early reference is the appearance of the name in the town records of Nürnberg, where a family by the name of Koelbel resided in the late 16th century.

As the name spread across Germany, it became associated with various place names that incorporated the root "kohl" or "kohle." For instance, the town of Kohlberg in Bavaria and the village of Kohlstetten in Baden-Württemberg were likely named after their connections to charcoal production or related industries.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Koelbel. One of the earliest was Johann Koelbel (1468-1529), a German cartographer and mathematician who produced the first modern map of Germany. Another prominent figure was Johann Kaspar Koelbel (1675-1732), a German Baroque painter known for his religious works and portraits.

In the 19th century, Johann Koelbel (1810-1879) was a German sculptor and woodcarver who gained recognition for his intricate woodcarvings and sculptures in churches and public buildings throughout Germany. Karl Koelbel (1899-1981), a German-American architect, made significant contributions to the architectural landscape of Los Angeles, designing several notable buildings, including the Bullocks Wilshire department store.

More recently, William Koelbel (1923-2021) was a prominent American businessman and real estate developer who played a significant role in shaping the urban landscape of Denver, Colorado, through his innovative real estate projects and community involvement.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Koelbel

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

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

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

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