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

Sohl, 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 Sohl surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sohl in America

Sohl is the 22673rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sohl surname appeared 1,131 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 Sohl.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sohl 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 Sohl

The surname SOHL has its origins in Germany, where it first emerged in the 14th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old German word "sohl," which means "sole" or "the bottom of a shoe." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a shoemaker or someone involved in the leather trade.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SOHL can be found in the town records of Nuremberg, dating back to 1382. In these records, a certain Johannes Sohl is mentioned as a resident of the city. The name also appears in various other historical documents from the region, such as tax records and church registers.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the SOHL name began to spread across different parts of Germany, particularly in the states of Bavaria and Saxony. Families bearing this surname were often found in rural areas, where many were engaged in agriculture or traditional crafts.

One notable figure with the surname SOHL was Johann Sohl (1604-1677), a German composer and organist who served at the court of the Duke of Saxony-Altenburg. His works, including sacred vocal compositions and organ pieces, were highly regarded during his lifetime.

In the 18th century, the SOHL name also appeared in various German-speaking regions of Europe, such as Austria and Switzerland. One example is Johann Michael Sohl (1725-1799), a Swiss painter known for his religious and historical works.

As the 19th century dawned, the SOHL surname continued to be prevalent in Germany, with some families also migrating to other parts of Europe and beyond. One noteworthy individual from this period was Friedrich Sohl (1822-1892), a German entrepreneur who established a successful textile manufacturing company in the city of Leipzig.

Another prominent figure was Karl Sohl (1867-1925), a German politician and member of the Social Democratic Party. He served as a member of the Reichstag (the German parliament) and was a vocal advocate for workers' rights and social reforms.

Throughout its history, the surname SOHL has been associated with various occupations and areas of expertise, from artisans and tradesmen to artists, musicians, and political figures. While the name's origins can be traced back to medieval Germany, it has since spread and taken root in various parts of the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sohl

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

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

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

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