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

Pahl, 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 Pahl surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pahl in America

Pahl is the 8518th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pahl surname appeared 3,864 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Pahl.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pahl 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 Pahl

The surname PAHL originated in Germany during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old German word "pahl" meaning "pole" or "stake," suggesting that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a boundary marker or worked as a carpenter or builder.

PAHL is believed to have first appeared in records from the 12th century in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in a manuscript from 1286, which mentions a certain Konrad Pahl from the town of Augsburg.

In the 14th century, the name began to spread across other parts of Germany, with records showing variations such as Pahle, Pahl, and Pahlen. This period also saw the emergence of notable individuals bearing the PAHL surname, including Johannes Pahl, a merchant from Lübeck who was born around 1350.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the PAHL name continued to gain prominence, with several families establishing themselves in various regions. One noteworthy figure was Christoph Pahl (1547-1612), a Lutheran theologian and writer from Saxony who published several works on religious topics.

In the 18th century, the PAHL surname began to spread beyond Germany, with some bearers migrating to other parts of Europe and even to the Americas. One such individual was Johann Georg Pahl (1768-1839), a German settler who arrived in Pennsylvania in the early 1800s and established a successful farming community.

Other notable individuals with the PAHL surname throughout history include:

1. Johann Pahl (1717-1784), a German architect and builder who designed several churches and public buildings in the Baroque style.
2. Friedrich Pahl (1859-1924), a German politician and member of the Reichstag during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
3. Max Pahl (1884-1964), a German artist and painter known for his landscapes and still-life works.
4. Wilhelm Pahl (1901-1988), a German engineer and inventor who held numerous patents for innovations in automotive technology.
5. Gerhard Pahl (1925-2012), a German engineer and professor who made significant contributions to the field of engineering design methodology.

While the PAHL surname has its roots in medieval Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with bearers contributing to various fields and professions throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pahl

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

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

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

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