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

Oetzel, 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 Oetzel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oetzel in America

Oetzel is the 67126th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oetzel surname appeared 294 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 Oetzel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oetzel 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 Oetzel

The surname Oetzel is of German origin, stemming from the Middle High German word "ötzel" or "öczelīn," which referred to a small or diminutive person. This name likely emerged during the late 12th or early 13th century in various regions of present-day Germany.

In its earliest forms, the name was often spelled as "Oetzelinus" or "Oezzelinus," as seen in medieval records from areas such as Bavaria and Saxony. It is believed to have originated as a descriptive nickname, potentially referring to a person's short stature or youthful appearance.

One of the earliest known references to the Oetzel name can be found in the "Codex Traditionum Monasterii Campililiensis," a 13th-century manuscript from the Benedictine abbey of Kampill in Bavaria. This document mentions an individual named "Oezzelinus de Grunbach" in the year 1248.

As the name spread across various regions, it underwent slight variations in spelling, such as "Oetzel," "Ötzl," and "Oetzell." These variations were often influenced by local dialects and scribal practices.

Among the notable individuals bearing the Oetzel surname throughout history are:

1. Johann Oetzel (c. 1500-1570), a German engraver and printmaker known for his woodcuts and etchings depicting religious and mythological scenes.

2. Andreas Oetzel (1570-1637), a German theologian and educator who served as the rector of the Gymnasium Illustre in Gotha.

3. Christoph Oetzel (1602-1669), a German composer and organist active in Leipzig during the 17th century.

4. Johann Caspar Oetzel (1679-1751), a German architect and master builder who designed several notable churches and public buildings in Saxony.

5. Friedrich Oetzel (1777-1849), a German mathematician and astronomer who made contributions to the fields of celestial mechanics and geodesy.

While the Oetzel name may have originated as a descriptive nickname, it eventually became a hereditary surname passed down through generations. Over time, it spread to various parts of Germany and neighboring regions, with some bearers of the name achieving notable accomplishments in various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oetzel

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

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

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

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