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

Schmiel, 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 Schmiel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Schmiel in America

Schmiel is the 150452nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Schmiel surname appeared 109 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 Schmiel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Schmiel 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 Schmiel

The surname Schmiel has its origins in Germany, where it first appeared in the late 15th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Middle High German word "smielen," which means "to smile" or "to grin." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone who was known for their cheerful or friendly demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Schmiel can be found in a document from the city of Nuremberg, dated 1492. This document mentions a certain Hans Schmiel, who was a merchant operating in the city at that time. Another early reference to the name is found in the records of the town of Lübeck, where a family by the name of Schmiel is mentioned in the mid-16th century.

In the 17th century, the name Schmiel began to spread beyond Germany, with some families migrating to neighboring countries such as Austria and Switzerland. During this period, the name also underwent various spelling variations, including Schmiel, Schmiehl, and Schmil.

One notable figure bearing the surname Schmiel was Johann Schmiel (1624-1677), a German theologian and philosopher who taught at the University of Wittenberg. Another Schmiel of historical significance was Friedrich Schmiel (1752-1823), a Prussian military officer who served under Frederick the Great during the Seven Years' War.

As the name Schmiel continued to spread throughout Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries, it also found its way to other parts of the world through emigration. For example, in the United States, there are records of a Johann Schmiel (1790-1865) who emigrated from Germany and settled in Pennsylvania in the early 19th century.

Another individual of note was Maria Schmiel (1842-1912), an Austrian writer and feminist who advocated for women's rights and education. In more recent times, the name Schmiel has been associated with individuals such as the German actor and director Hans Schmiel (1914-1985) and the American artist and sculptor Rolf Schmiel (1911-1994).

While the surname Schmiel is not extremely common today, it retains its roots in the German-speaking regions of Europe and serves as a reminder of the rich cultural and linguistic diversity that has shaped the naming traditions of various communities throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Schmiel

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

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

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

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