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

Migdal, 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 Migdal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Migdal in America

Migdal is the 43885th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Migdal surname appeared 491 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 Migdal.

We can also compare 2010 data for Migdal 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 Migdal

The surname MIGDAL is of Hebrew origin, tracing its roots back to ancient times in the Middle East. The name is derived from the Hebrew word "migdal," which means "tower" or "fortress." It is believed that the name may have originally been given to individuals who lived near or worked in a fortified tower or castle.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MIGDAL can be found in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in the book of Genesis. The biblical city of Migdal-Eder, meaning "Tower of the Flock," is mentioned as a location near Bethlehem. This suggests that the name was in use as early as the first millennium BCE.

During the Middle Ages, the name MIGDAL appeared in various Jewish communities across Europe and the Mediterranean region. One notable individual from this period was Rabbi Moses ben Nachman Migdal, a 13th-century Spanish scholar and philosopher who lived in Girona, Spain (born around 1194 - died after 1270).

In the 16th century, the name MIGDAL was found in records of Jewish communities in Poland and Lithuania. One example is Rabbi Judah Loeb ben Bezalel MIGDAL, a prominent rabbi and author who lived in Krakow, Poland (born around 1525 - died 1617).

In the 18th century, the name MIGDAL was associated with several respected rabbinical families in Eastern Europe. Rabbi Raphael Hayyim Isaac MIGDAL, a renowned Talmudic scholar from Vilna, Lithuania (born around 1720 - died 1788), was one such individual.

Another notable figure with the surname MIGDAL was Salomon MIGDAL, a 19th-century Polish-Jewish writer and journalist who was active in the Haskalah (Jewish Enlightenment) movement (born in 1828 - died in 1884).

Moving into the 20th century, one of the most famous individuals with the surname MIGDAL was the Israeli architect and urban planner Yakov MIGDAL (born in 1899 - died in 1978). He was instrumental in the planning and development of modern Tel Aviv.

While the surname MIGDAL has its roots in ancient Hebrew, it has spread across the globe and can be found in various Jewish communities around the world today, serving as a testament to the rich cultural heritage and history associated with this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Migdal

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

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

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

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