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

Steil, 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 Steil surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Steil in America

Steil is the 15922nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Steil surname appeared 1,825 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Steil.

We can also compare 2010 data for Steil 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 Steil

The surname STEIL is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "steil," meaning "steep" or "precipitous." This surname is believed to have originated in the 13th century and was likely given to someone who lived near a steep hill, cliff, or other elevated terrain.

In the early 14th century, the name STEIL appeared in various historical records, such as the Urkundenbuch der Stadt Strassburg, which documented the presence of individuals with this surname in the city of Strasbourg, located in modern-day France.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Hans STEIL, born around 1350 in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, in present-day Bavaria, Germany. He was a renowned stonemason and is credited with contributing to the construction of the town's iconic medieval fortifications.

In the 16th century, the surname STEIL was found in the Dutch province of Limburg, where it was often spelled as "STEYL." One notable bearer was Jan STEYL (1556-1635), a wealthy merchant and landowner from the city of Maastricht.

The STEIL name also has a presence in Switzerland, particularly in the canton of Zurich. Johann Rudolf STEIL (1652-1718) was a prominent Swiss theologian and author who served as the pastor of the Fraumünster Church in Zurich.

Another notable figure was Friedrich August STEIL (1809-1878), a German mathematician and educator who made significant contributions to the field of geometry. He was born in the town of Helmstedt and served as a professor at the University of Göttingen.

In the 19th century, the STEIL surname gained recognition in the United States through the work of George STEIL (1826-1899), a German-born architect who designed several notable buildings in New York City, including the Manhattan Life Insurance Building and the Reformed Church of Harlem.

Throughout its history, the STEIL surname has been associated with various professions, including stonemasons, merchants, theologians, mathematicians, and architects, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of its bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Steil

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

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

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

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