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

Kuehl, 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 Kuehl surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kuehl in America

Kuehl is the 6847th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kuehl surname appeared 4,918 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Kuehl.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kuehl 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 Kuehl

The surname Kuehl has its origins in Germany and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Old German word "kühl," which means "cool" or "chilly." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived in a cool or shaded area or had a cool demeanor.

The earliest recorded mention of the name Kuehl can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the Mark of Brandenburg, dating back to the 13th century. The name appears in various spellings, such as Kuhle, Kuhl, and Kuhlen, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.

During the 14th century, the name Kuehl is mentioned in the Stadtbuch von Zerbst, a municipal record book from the town of Zerbst in Saxony-Anhalt. This document provides insights into the lives of individuals bearing the name and their involvement in local affairs.

One notable individual with the surname Kuehl was Johann Gottfried Kuehl, a German composer and organist who lived from 1686 to 1721. He was renowned for his sacred compositions and served as the organist at the Marienkirche in Lübeck.

Another prominent figure was Christian Gottlieb Kuehl, a German painter and engraver who lived from 1754 to 1842. He is best known for his landscape paintings and etchings depicting scenes from various regions of Germany.

In the 19th century, the Kuehl family played a significant role in the development of the city of Leipzig. Johann Gottlob Kuehl (1806-1888) was a successful entrepreneur who established a textile manufacturing business, contributing to the city's industrial growth.

The name Kuehl has also been associated with several place names in Germany, such as Kuhlenkampffleth, a small village in Lower Saxony, and Kuhlenbrok, a district in the city of Salzgitter. These place names may have influenced the surname or vice versa, reflecting the close connection between surnames and geographic locations.

Other notable individuals with the surname Kuehl include Hans Kuehl (1895-1979), a German-American actor and screenwriter who appeared in several Hollywood films in the 1930s and 1940s, and Klaus Kuehl (born 1938), a German politician and member of the Social Democratic Party.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kuehl

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

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

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

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