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

Mestel, 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 Mestel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mestel in America

Mestel is the 128249th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mestel surname appeared 133 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 Mestel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mestel 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 Mestel

The surname MESTEL has its origins in Germany, tracing back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "mest," meaning "best" or "greatest," suggesting that the name may have initially been a nickname or descriptor for someone who was considered exceptional or superior.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MESTEL can be found in the town records of Göttingen, Lower Saxony, from the year 1587, where a certain Hans Mestel is mentioned as a resident. This suggests that the name was already established in the region during that time.

In the 17th century, the MESTEL surname appeared in various historical documents across different parts of Germany. For instance, in the church records of Kassel, Hesse, a Johannes Mestel was born in 1632. Additionally, the name was found in the tax records of Bavaria, indicating that members of the family had settled in that region as well.

During the 18th century, the MESTEL name became more widespread, with individuals bearing this surname appearing in records from various German states. One notable example is Johann Georg Mestel, a prominent theologian and philosopher born in 1734 in Saxony-Anhalt. His contributions to religious studies and ethics were significant during his lifetime.

As Germans began to emigrate to other parts of the world in the 19th century, the MESTEL surname traveled with them. In the United States, for instance, records show that a Friedrich Mestel arrived in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1842, likely seeking new opportunities in the growing nation.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the MESTEL surname. One such figure was Karl Mestel, a German composer and music theorist born in 1826 in Leipzig. His compositions and writings on music theory were influential in his time. Another prominent MESTEL was Erich Mestel, a German-American physicist born in 1910 in Berlin, who made significant contributions to the study of stellar evolution and the interstellar medium.

Other notable individuals with the MESTEL surname include Hans Mestel, a German architect from the early 20th century known for his innovative residential designs, and Gerhard Mestel, a German businessman and entrepreneur who founded a successful manufacturing company in the post-World War II era.

While the MESTEL name may have originated as a descriptive nickname, it has since evolved into a distinct surname with a rich history spanning centuries and crossing borders, carried by individuals who have left their mark in various fields and professions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mestel

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

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

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

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