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

Pahel, 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 Pahel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pahel in America

Pahel is the 111988th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pahel surname appeared 157 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 Pahel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pahel 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 Pahel

The surname Pahel is believed to have originated in Germany during the late Middle Ages, around the 14th or 15th century. It is thought to be derived from the German word "Pahl," which means "boundary" or "border." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a border or boundary marker.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Pahel can be found in a manuscript from the Holy Roman Empire, dated around 1420. The document mentions a certain "Johannes Pahel" from the region of Bavaria. This provides evidence that the name was in use at that time and place.

In the 16th century, there are records of a family named Pahel residing in the town of Nurnberg, which was an important center of trade and culture in the Holy Roman Empire. It is possible that this family played a role in the local governance or administration, given the meaning of their surname.

During the 17th century, a notable figure named Hans Pahel (1602-1673) was a respected artist and engraver from the city of Augsburg. His works, depicting religious scenes and portraits, were highly sought after by the wealthy patrons of the time.

Another individual of note was Johann Pahel (1715-1786), a scholar and theologian from the region of Saxony. He authored several influential works on religious philosophy and was a professor at the University of Leipzig.

In the 19th century, a woman named Anna Pahel (1825-1891) gained recognition for her humanitarian efforts. She established a shelter for orphaned children in the city of Berlin and dedicated her life to their care and education.

Tracing the origins of the Pahel surname, it is evident that the name has a rich history rooted in medieval Germany. While the exact circumstances behind its inception remain uncertain, the name's association with borders and boundaries suggests a connection to the territorial divisions that were prevalent during that era.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pahel

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

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

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

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