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

Pickel, 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 Pickel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pickel in America

Pickel is the 11722nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pickel surname appeared 2,673 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 Pickel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pickel 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 Pickel

The surname Pickel originated in Germany, first appearing in records during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Middle High German word "pickel," which means "pointed" or "peaked." This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a prominent hill or peak.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Pickel name is found in a document from the city of Köln (Cologne) in 1295, referring to a "Johannes Pickel." Another early record comes from the town of Marburg in 1327, where a "Conrad Pickel" is mentioned.

In the 15th century, there are records of a Pickel family residing in the village of Eichenau, near the city of Augsburg in Bavaria. This may indicate that the name has roots in this region as well.

The Pickel name appears to have spread throughout various German states in the following centuries. In 1562, a "Hans Pickel" is recorded in the town of Bückeburg in Lower Saxony. A "Georg Pickel" is listed in a census from the city of Nürnberg in 1621.

One of the earliest known individuals with the Pickel surname is Johann Pickel, a Protestant reformer and theologian who lived from 1499 to 1573. He was a prominent figure in the Reformation movement in Germany.

Another notable Pickel was Friedrich Wilhelm Pickel (1786-1865), a German painter and engraver who was known for his landscapes and portraits. He studied under the famous artist Jacques-Louis David.

In the 19th century, a Pickel family from the town of Weilheim in Bavaria produced several notable individuals. This includes the writer and philosopher Karl Pickel (1825-1891) and his brother, the politician and jurist Johann Pickel (1827-1902).

A more recent figure is the German-American physicist and inventor Karl Pickel (1905-1997), who made significant contributions to the development of radar technology during World War II.

While the Pickel name has its origins in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through emigration. However, it remains most prevalent in German-speaking regions and among those of German descent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pickel

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

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

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

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