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

Obergfell, 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 Obergfell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Obergfell in America

Obergfell is the 69579th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Obergfell surname appeared 282 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 Obergfell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Obergfell 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 Obergfell

The surname Obergfell has its origins in Germany, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated in the southern regions of the country, particularly in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. The name is derived from the German words "ober" meaning "upper" and "fell" referring to a rocky area or mountain slope, suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name may have lived in an elevated or mountainous region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Obergfell name can be found in the parish records of the town of Rottenburg am Neckar in Baden-Württemberg, where a Johann Obergfell was listed as a resident in 1587. Another early mention of the name appears in the Kirchenbücher (church records) of the village of Triefenstein in Bavaria, where a Hans Obergfell is mentioned in 1612.

In the 17th century, the name Obergfell appears in various legal documents and land records across southern Germany. For instance, in 1643, a Balthasar Obergfell is recorded as owning a parcel of land in the town of Heidenheim an der Brenz in Baden-Württemberg.

Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the Obergfell surname. One such person was Johann Christoph Obergfell (1685-1757), a German Lutheran theologian and author from Württemberg, who wrote extensively on religious subjects and was a respected figure in his time.

Another prominent Obergfell was Karl Friedrich Obergfell (1786-1864), a German painter and etcher from Stuttgart, who gained recognition for his landscapes and architectural studies. His etchings of Stuttgart and other cities in Württemberg are considered important historical records.

In the 19th century, Theodor Obergfell (1820-1892), a German politician and lawyer from Baden, served as a member of the Baden Landtag (state parliament) and was known for his advocacy of liberal and democratic reforms.

The Obergfell name has also been associated with several places in Germany. For example, the village of Obergfell in the district of Bergstraße in Hesse is believed to have derived its name from the surname, suggesting that the area may have been settled by individuals bearing this name in the past.

While the Obergfell surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration. However, the historical records and documents mentioned above provide valuable insights into the origins and early history of this name in its homeland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Obergfell

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

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

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

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