2000
#116,835
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 138
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Schmiel
A surname of German origin, derived from the noun 'Schmied' meaning a blacksmith or metalworker.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Schmiel. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Schmiel 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Schmiel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Schmiel, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.3%) and Black (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Schmiel
Among Census respondents with the surname Schmiel, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.3%) and Black (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Schmiel 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 Schmiel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.9% · 94
- Hispanic or Latino9.3% · 10
- Black or African American1.9% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Schmiel
Schmiel 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
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-29 bearers (-21.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 33,617 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-2 bearers (-1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,187 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #116,835 | 138 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | -29 bearers (-21.0%) | Down 33,617 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.8%) | Down 1,187 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 Schmiel 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 | #150,452 | #151,639 | -0.8% |
| Count | 109 | 107 | -1.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Schmiel bearers went from 109 to 107 (-1.8% change). The surname moved down 1,187 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #151,639.
FAQ
Schmiel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Schmiel?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Schmiel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Schmiel?
Schmiel ranks #151,639 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 107 people with the surname Schmiel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), 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 Schmiel.
Has Schmiel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Schmiel went from 109 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #150,452 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Schmiel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Schmiel, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.3%) and Black (1.9%). 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 Schmiel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.9% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Schmiel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.9%), Hispanic (9.3%), Black (1.9%). 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 Schmiel (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 Schmiel mean?
A surname of German origin, derived from the noun 'Schmied' meaning a blacksmith or metalworker. 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 Schmiel (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 common is the surname Schmiel?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Schmiel on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.