2000
#125,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Koestel
A surname derived from a topographic name referring to a hilly or mountainous location.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Koestel. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Koestel 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
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Koestel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Koestel, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.0%) and Two or More Races (3.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Koestel
The surname Koestel is of German origin, with its roots traced back to the early 18th century in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. It is believed to have derived from the German word "Kostel," which translates to "castle" or "fortress," suggesting a possible connection to those who resided near or worked in these fortified structures.
One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname appears in the parish records of Augsburg, Bavaria, where a Christoph Koestel was born in 1715. Another notable early reference is found in the military archives of Saxony, which mention a Johann Koestel serving as a soldier in the Saxon army during the Seven Years' War (1756-1763).
In the late 18th century, the name Koestel began to spread beyond its initial regions of origin as families migrated to other parts of Germany and neighboring countries. This dispersal led to variations in spelling, including Köstel, Köstl, and Koestl.
One of the most prominent figures associated with this surname was Karl Koestel (1819-1893), a German painter and illustrator renowned for his landscapes and depictions of rural life. His works can be found in several prestigious art collections, including the Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin.
Another notable individual was Friedrich Koestel (1870-1945), a German architect who played a significant role in the development of modern architecture in the early 20th century. He designed numerous buildings in Berlin and other German cities, showcasing his unique blend of traditional and contemporary styles.
In the realm of literature, the name Koestel is associated with Johanna Koestel (1882-1959), a German writer and poet known for her lyrical works that explored themes of nature, love, and the human condition. Her poetry collections, such as "Herbstzeitlosen" (Autumn Crocuses), published in 1921, garnered critical acclaim.
Moving into the 20th century, Hans Koestel (1905-1988) was a prominent German lawyer and political activist who played a pivotal role in the resistance against the Nazi regime during World War II. He was imprisoned for his anti-Nazi activities but continued to fight for human rights and democracy after the war.
Finally, in the field of science, the name Koestel is linked to Erich Koestel (1911-1995), a German physicist and engineer who made significant contributions to the development of radar technology during the war years. After the war, he worked on various projects related to microwave and telecommunications technology.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Koestel
Among Census respondents with the surname Koestel, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.0%) and Two or More Races (3.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Koestel 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 Koestel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.8% · 99
- Hispanic or Latino7.0% · 8
- Two or more races3.5% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Koestel
Koestel 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
#135,593
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 124
-2 bearers (-1.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,954 places
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
-10 bearers (-8.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,902 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #125,639 | 126 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #135,593 | 124 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.6%) | Down 9,954 places |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | -10 bearers (-8.1%) | Down 10,902 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 Koestel 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 | #135,593 | #146,495 | -8.0% |
| Count | 124 | 114 | -8.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Koestel bearers went from 124 to 114 (-8.1% change). The surname moved down 10,902 positions in the national ranking, going from #135,593 to #146,495.
FAQ
Koestel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Koestel?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Koestel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Koestel?
Koestel ranks #146,495 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 114 people with the surname Koestel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), 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 Koestel.
Has Koestel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Koestel went from 124 recorded bearers to 114. That is a decrease of 10 (-8.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #135,593 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Koestel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Koestel, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.0%) and Two or More Races (3.5%). 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 Koestel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.8% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Koestel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.8%), Hispanic (7.0%), Two or More Races (3.5%). 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 Koestel (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 Koestel mean?
A surname derived from a topographic name referring to a hilly or mountainous location. 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 Koestel (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 Koestel?
You can see how many people have the last name Koestel on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.