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

Piel, 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 Piel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Piel in America

Piel is the 19703rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Piel surname appeared 1,367 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 Piel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Piel 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 Piel

The surname Piel originated in Germany and dates back to the early medieval period. It is derived from the Old German word "pil," which means "arrow" or "bolt." The name likely referred to an occupation or trade involving the manufacture or use of arrows and bolts, such as a fletcher or archer.

Piel is a variation of the German surname Pfeil, which has the same meaning and origin. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various German records and documents from the 13th and 14th centuries, where it was often spelled "Pil" or "Pile."

One of the earliest known individuals with this surname was Johannes Pil, a merchant from the city of Nuremberg, who is mentioned in records dating back to the late 14th century. Another notable figure was Hans Piel, a master bowmaker from the town of Augsburg, who lived in the 15th century and was renowned for his skillful craftsmanship.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Piel became more widespread across various regions of Germany, with many families bearing this surname settling in areas such as Saxony, Bavaria, and the Rhineland. In some cases, the name may also be associated with certain place names, such as the town of Pielach in Austria, which could have influenced the spelling or regional variation of the surname.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Piel was Johann Christoph Piel (1667-1719), a German mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of comets and celestial mechanics. Other notable figures include Friedrich Piel (1796-1870), a German theologian and writer, and Heinrich Piel (1865-1928), a German composer and music educator.

Throughout history, the surname Piel has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artisans, scholars, artists, and professionals, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and occupations associated with this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Piel

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

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

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

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