2000
#49,057
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 403
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.15
Very Rare Last name
Meidl
A variant of the German surname Meidel or Meidl, likely metonymic and referring to a person from a place called Meidel.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 542 Americans carry the last name Meidl. That puts it at #48,236 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.16 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 632,388 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Meidl 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
542
1 in 632,388
Census rank
#48,236
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
473
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 473 bearers of the surname Meidl in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.16 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 48236th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Meidl, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Meidl
The surname MEIDL is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. It is believed to have originated in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in Bavaria and Austria. The name MEIDL is thought to be derived from the Old German word "meid," which means "meadow" or "grassland," suggesting a connection to those who lived or worked in such areas.
One of the earliest known references to the name MEIDL can be found in the Bavarian town records from the early 14th century, where the name appears as "Meidler." This spelling variation highlights the evolution of surnames over time and their adaptation to local dialects and pronunciations.
In the 15th century, a notable figure with the surname MEIDL was Hans Meidl, a renowned blacksmith and metalworker from Nuremberg, Germany. His intricate ironwork adorned many churches and public buildings in the region, cementing his legacy as a skilled craftsman.
During the 16th century, the name MEIDL gained prominence in the literary world with the birth of Johann Meidl (1510-1572), a German poet and author. His works, which often celebrated nature and rural life, reflected the connection between the surname and its meadow-related origins.
In the 17th century, the MEIDL name appeared in the records of the Thirty Years' War, with several soldiers bearing the surname serving under various banners. One such individual was Wilhelm Meidl (1620-1688), a military officer who fought for the Imperial forces and was known for his bravery on the battlefield.
As the centuries progressed, the MEIDL name continued to spread across German-speaking regions, with families establishing themselves in various professions and walks of life. In the 19th century, a prominent figure bearing the surname was Karl Meidl (1818-1892), a renowned architect from Vienna, Austria, whose designs left a lasting impact on the city's architectural landscape.
While the surname MEIDL may have evolved over time and been influenced by various regional dialects and spellings, its connection to the German word "meid" and its association with meadows and grasslands remain a central part of its etymology and history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Meidl
Among Census respondents with the surname Meidl, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Meidl 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 Meidl surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.2% · 436
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 20
- Two or more races2.5% · 12
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Meidl
Meidl 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
#46,219
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 461
+58 bearers (+14.4%)
Per 100,000 0.16
Rank movement Up 2,838 places
2020
#48,236
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 473
+12 bearers (+2.6%)
Per 100,000 0.16
Rank movement Down 2,017 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #49,057 | 403 | 0.15 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #46,219 | 461 | 0.16 | +58 bearers (+14.4%) | Up 2,838 places |
| 2020 | #48,236 | 473 | 0.16 | +12 bearers (+2.6%) | Down 2,017 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 Meidl 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 | #46,219 | #48,236 | -4.4% |
| Count | 461 | 473 | 2.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.16 | 0.16 | -1.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Meidl bearers went from 461 to 473 (+2.6% change). The surname moved down 2,017 positions in the national ranking, going from #46,219 to #48,236.
FAQ
Meidl surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Meidl?
Name Census estimates that about 542 living Americans carry the surname Meidl. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 632,388 residents.
How common is Meidl?
Meidl ranks #48,236 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.16 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 473 people with the surname Meidl. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (542), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.16 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.16 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 Meidl.
Has Meidl become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Meidl went from 461 recorded bearers to 473. That is an increase of 12 (+2.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #46,219 to #48,236.
What does the Census say about the background of Meidl?
Among Census respondents with the surname Meidl, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Meidl in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.2% (436 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Meidl appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.2%), Hispanic (4.2%), Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Meidl (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 Meidl mean?
A variant of the German surname Meidel or Meidl, likely metonymic and referring to a person from a place called Meidel. 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 Meidl (0.16 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 Meidl?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Meidl on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.