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

Pfeil, 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 Pfeil surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pfeil in America

Pfeil is the 12285th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pfeil surname appeared 2,531 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 Pfeil.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pfeil 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 Pfeil

The surname Pfeil originated in Germany during the late Middle Ages, likely in the 13th or 14th century. It is derived from the German word "Pfeil," meaning "arrow" or "bolt," suggesting that the name may have been an occupational name for an arrow maker or fletcher.

The earliest known record of the Pfeil surname dates back to the 15th century, appearing in various medieval documents and records from various parts of Germany, particularly in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. One notable early mention of the name can be found in the Bürgeraufnahme (citizen admittance) records of the city of Nuremberg from the year 1430, where a certain Hans Pfeil is listed as a newly admitted citizen.

In the 16th century, the Pfeil surname continued to spread throughout German-speaking regions, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname was Johannes Pfeil, a Lutheran theologian and reformer born in Nuremberg in 1520, who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation.

Another prominent figure with the Pfeil surname was Johann Baptist Pfeil, a German botanist and naturalist born in 1765 in Kassel. He is known for his contributions to the study of plant taxonomy and his extensive travels throughout Europe and Asia.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Pfeil surname also appeared in various records and documents from other parts of Europe, including Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, likely due to migration and cultural exchange.

In the 19th century, the Pfeil surname gained further prominence with individuals such as Gustav Pfeil, a German explorer and naturalist born in 1807 in Hildesheim. He is renowned for his extensive travels and discoveries in South America, particularly in the region of the Amazon River.

Another notable figure from this period was August Friedrich Pfeil, a German chess master born in 1785 in Breslau (now Wrocław, Poland). He is considered one of the strongest players of his era and made significant contributions to the development of chess theory and strategies.

Throughout its history, the Pfeil surname has been associated with various occupations and professions, including archers, fletchers, naturalists, explorers, and scholars, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who have borne this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pfeil

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!