2000
#139,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kreisle
A surname derived from the German word "kreis" meaning circle or ring.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 117 Americans carry the last name Kreisle. That puts it at #154,755 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,929,524 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kreisle 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
117
1 in 2,929,524
Census rank
#154,755
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
102
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 102 bearers of the surname Kreisle in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154755th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kreisle, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kreisle
The surname Kreisle originates from Germany, with its earliest known records dating back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have originated from a regional dialect or placename in the southern regions of Germany. Some linguists suggest the name may have derived from the German word "kreis," meaning "circle," possibly referring to a circular geographical feature or a familial occupation related to this shape.
One of the earliest documented mentions of the Kreisle name can be found in the church records of the town of Augsburg, Bavaria, in 1587, where a certain Johannes Kreisle is recorded as a resident. In the following centuries, the name appears sporadically in various German parish registers, indicating its gradual spread across different regions.
A notable early bearer of the Kreisle name was Hans Kreisle, born in 1632 in the village of Niederaltaich, Bavaria. He was a respected landowner and farmer, and his family's records provide insights into the daily life and customs of rural Germany during that era.
In the 18th century, the Kreisle name gained prominence with the birth of Johann Friedrich Kreisle (1720-1795), a renowned philosopher and theologian from Württemberg. His writings on ethics and moral philosophy were widely studied and discussed in academic circles across Europe during the Age of Enlightenment.
Another significant figure with this surname was Maria Kreisle (1845-1923), a pioneering educator from Saxony. She founded one of the first schools for girls in her region and was recognized for her efforts in promoting women's education and empowerment.
During the 19th century, several members of the Kreisle family emigrated from Germany to various parts of the world, including North America and Australia. One such individual was Wilhelm Kreisle (1852-1910), who settled in Pennsylvania, United States, and became a successful businessman and community leader.
Among the more recent notable individuals with the Kreisle surname is Hans-Jürgen Kreisle (1924-2008), a German-born sculptor and artist whose works were exhibited in several prestigious galleries across Europe. His distinctive style and innovative use of materials earned him recognition within the art world.
While the Kreisle name may not be as widespread as some other German surnames, its history and the contributions of its bearers have left a lasting impact on various fields, from academia and education to art and literature, across multiple generations and geographical regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kreisle
Among Census respondents with the surname Kreisle, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Kreisle 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 Kreisle surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.1% · 97
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.0% · 2
- Two or more races2.0% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kreisle
Kreisle 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
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
-10 bearers (-9.1%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 21,218 places
2020
#154,755
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
+2 bearers (+2.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 6,220 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #139,757 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | -10 bearers (-9.1%) | Down 21,218 places |
| 2020 | #154,755 | 102 | 0.03 | +2 bearers (+2.0%) | Up 6,220 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 Kreisle 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 | #160,975 | #154,755 | 3.9% |
| Count | 100 | 102 | 2.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 13.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kreisle bearers went from 100 to 102 (+2.0% change). The surname moved up 6,220 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #154,755.
FAQ
Kreisle surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kreisle?
Name Census estimates that about 117 living Americans carry the surname Kreisle. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,929,524 residents.
How common is Kreisle?
Kreisle ranks #154,755 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 102 people with the surname Kreisle. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (117), 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 Kreisle.
Has Kreisle become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kreisle went from 100 recorded bearers to 102. That is an increase of 2 (+2.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #154,755.
What does the Census say about the background of Kreisle?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kreisle, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%) and Two or More Races (2.0%). 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 Kreisle in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.1% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kreisle appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%), Two or More Races (2.0%). 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 Kreisle (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 Kreisle mean?
A surname derived from the German word "kreis" meaning circle or ring. 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 Kreisle (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 common is the surname Kreisle?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Kreisle on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.