2000
#123,314
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 129
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Schmigel
A German surname derived from the Middle High German word "smiugel" meaning narrow or slender.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Schmigel. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Schmigel 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Schmigel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Schmigel, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Schmigel
The surname Schmigel has its origins in the Rhineland region of Germany, with roots dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Middle High German word "smigen," which means "to creep" or "to sneak," possibly referring to an occupation or a physical characteristic of the family's ancestors.
In the Palatinate region, the name was initially recorded as "Schmigen" or "Schmiggen" in various records, such as church registers and land deeds. One of the earliest documented instances of the surname was found in the parish records of Mainz, where a certain Hans Schmigen was mentioned in 1583.
The Schmigel surname gained prominence during the 17th and 18th centuries, with several notable individuals bearing this name. Johann Michael Schmigel (1642-1718), a German theologian and professor at the University of Giessen, authored several influential works on Protestant theology and biblical exegesis.
Another prominent figure was Christoph Schmigel (1675-1747), a renowned architect and master builder from Strasbourg. He played a significant role in the construction of the city's iconic Cathedral, contributing to its intricate Gothic architecture.
In the realm of literature, the name Schmigel is associated with the Swiss-German writer and poet, Jakob Schmigel (1798-1872). His lyrical works, often inspired by the natural beauty of the Alpine landscapes, earned him recognition and a place in the literary circles of his time.
Across the Atlantic, the Schmigel surname found its way to the United States in the late 19th century, as German immigrants sought new opportunities in the New World. One notable individual was Heinrich Schmigel (1856-1934), a successful entrepreneur who established a thriving brewing business in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Another noteworthy figure was Margarethe Schmigel (1881-1962), a pioneering educator and women's rights activist. Born in Bavaria, she immigrated to the United States in the early 1900s and dedicated her life to promoting equal educational opportunities for women and advocating for their empowerment.
The Schmigel surname, while not as widespread as some other German names, has left an indelible mark on history through the contributions of individuals in various fields, from theology and architecture to literature and entrepreneurship.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Schmigel
Among Census respondents with the surname Schmigel, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Schmigel 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 Schmigel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.6% · 115
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 3
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Schmigel
Schmigel 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
#142,108
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
-12 bearers (-9.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 18,794 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+2 bearers (+1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 680 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #123,314 | 129 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #142,108 | 117 | 0.04 | -12 bearers (-9.3%) | Down 18,794 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.7%) | Down 680 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 Schmigel 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 | #142,108 | #142,788 | -0.5% |
| Count | 117 | 119 | 1.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Schmigel bearers went from 117 to 119 (+1.7% change). The surname moved down 680 positions in the national ranking, going from #142,108 to #142,788.
FAQ
Schmigel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Schmigel?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Schmigel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Schmigel?
Schmigel ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Schmigel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Schmigel.
Has Schmigel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Schmigel went from 117 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 2 (+1.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #142,108 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Schmigel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Schmigel, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (0.8%). 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 Schmigel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.6% (115 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Schmigel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.6%), Hispanic (2.5%), Two or More Races (0.8%). 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 Schmigel (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 Schmigel mean?
A German surname derived from the Middle High German word "smiugel" meaning narrow or slender. 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 Schmigel (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 people have the surname Schmigel?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.