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

Matzelle, 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 Matzelle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Matzelle in America

Matzelle is the 81772nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Matzelle surname appeared 231 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 Matzelle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Matzelle 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 Matzelle

The surname Matzelle is of German origin and can be traced back to the late 15th century. It is believed to have originated in the region of Bavaria, where it was likely derived from a place name or occupational reference. One possible source is the German word "Matze," which was a nickname for Matthew and could have been combined with a suffix like "-elle" to form the name.

Early records show variations in spelling, such as Matzell, Matzellen, and Matzeller, suggesting it may have evolved from a similar-sounding name or phrase. However, no definitive historical references or documents have been found that definitively explain the name's origins.

The earliest known bearer of the Matzelle surname was Hans Matzelle, born in 1492 in the town of Regensburg, Bavaria. He was a skilled woodcarver and is mentioned in local guild records from that period. Another notable individual was Johann Matzelle (1567-1631), a Protestant minister in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, who wrote several influential theological texts.

In the 17th century, the name appears in various records across southern Germany, including the birth of Maria Matzelle in 1629 in Augsburg. There was also a Matzelle family living in the village of Riedlingen in Swabia, documented in parish records from the late 1600s.

One of the most prominent Matzelles was Friedrich Matzelle (1788-1863), a German historian and archivist who worked in the city of Munich. He published several works on Bavarian history and was respected for his meticulous research and attention to detail.

Another individual of note was the explorer and naturalist Carl Matzelle (1819-1892), who was born in Saxony but spent much of his life traveling and studying the flora and fauna of South America. He published several books and research papers detailing his findings and discoveries in the Amazon region.

While the Matzelle surname is not particularly common, it has persisted in various parts of Germany and has spread to other countries through emigration. However, the exact origins and meaning of the name remain somewhat shrouded in mystery despite its long history and notable bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Matzelle

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

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

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

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