2000
#120,330
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 133
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Preisel
An Ashkenazic Jewish surname derived from the Yiddish phrase "preiz" meaning "praise" or "glory."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Preisel. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Preisel surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Preisel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Preisel, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Preisel
The surname PREISEL has its origins in the German language and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated in the region of Bavaria, which was a part of the Holy Roman Empire during that time period.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname PREISEL can be found in a document from the city of Augsburg, dated 1587. This document mentions a certain Johannes Preisel, who was a merchant and landowner in the area.
The name PREISEL is thought to be derived from the Old German word "preis," which means "praise" or "honor." It is possible that the name was originally given to someone who was highly respected or honored in their community.
In the 17th century, there are records of a family with the surname PREISEL residing in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, located in the modern-day state of Bavaria, Germany. This family was involved in the wine trade and owned several vineyards in the region.
One notable figure with the surname PREISEL was Johann Georg Preisel, a German composer who lived from 1756 to 1839. He was born in the town of Nürnberg and composed several operas and other musical works during his lifetime.
Another individual of historical significance with the surname PREISEL was Friedrich Wilhelm Preisel, a German military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars. He was born in 1788 and fought in several major battles, including the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
In the 19th century, the surname PREISEL began to spread beyond Germany, with some families emigrating to other parts of Europe and even to the United States. One such individual was Karl Preisel, a German immigrant who settled in Pennsylvania in the mid-1800s and worked as a farmer.
The name PREISEL can also be found in other variations, such as Preisler or Preissler, which are thought to be derived from the same root word. These variations were likely the result of regional dialects or spelling differences over time.
Overall, the surname PREISEL has a rich history that can be traced back to the German-speaking regions of Europe, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. While not a particularly common surname, it has been borne by individuals of note throughout history, including composers, military officers, and early settlers in the United States.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Preisel
Among Census respondents with the surname Preisel, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Preisel bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Preisel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.5% · 106
- Two or more races4.5% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Preisel
Preisel appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#135,593
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 124
-9 bearers (-6.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,263 places
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
-13 bearers (-10.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 13,072 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #120,330 | 133 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #135,593 | 124 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-6.8%) | Down 15,263 places |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | -13 bearers (-10.5%) | Down 13,072 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Preisel surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #135,593 | #148,665 | -9.6% |
| Count | 124 | 111 | -10.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Preisel bearers went from 124 to 111 (-10.5% change). The surname moved down 13,072 positions in the national ranking, going from #135,593 to #148,665.
FAQ
Preisel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Preisel?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Preisel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Preisel?
Preisel ranks #148,665 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 111 people with the surname Preisel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Preisel.
Has Preisel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Preisel went from 124 recorded bearers to 111. That is a decrease of 13 (-10.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #135,593 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Preisel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Preisel, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Preisel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.5% (106 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Preisel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.5%), Two or More Races (4.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Preisel (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Preisel mean?
An Ashkenazic Jewish surname derived from the Yiddish phrase "preiz" meaning "praise" or "glory." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Preisel (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Preisel?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.