Find out how popular the last name Stiel is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Stiel.
A German surname derived from the word "Stiel" meaning a stick or handle.
Stiel, 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 Stiel surname is from the 2010 census data.
Stiel is the 98982nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Stiel surname appeared 183 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 Stiel.
We can also compare 2010 data for Stiel 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.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rank | 98982 | 78549 | 23.02% |
Count | 183 | 226 | -21.03% |
Proportion per 100k | 0.06 | 0.08 | -28.57% |
The surname STIEL has its origins in Germany, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "stihl," which translates to "steel" or "steel worker." This suggests that the name's earliest bearers were likely involved in the metalworking trade, possibly as blacksmiths or armorers.
One of the earliest known mentions of the STIEL surname can be found in the town records of Nürnberg, where a certain Johannes Stiel is listed as a resident in 1563. Another early record comes from the parish registers of Mainz, which document the birth of Hans Stiel in 1587.
During the 17th century, the STIEL name began to spread across various regions of Germany, with notable concentrations in Bavaria and the Rhineland. In 1642, a Konrad Stiel is recorded as a member of the local militia in the town of Augsburg. Around the same time, the STIEL family name appears in the census records of the village of Schwetzingen, near Heidelberg.
As the name continued to disperse throughout the German states, various spelling variations emerged, such as Stiehl, Stiehl, and Stiehle. These slight alterations were often due to regional dialects or the individual preferences of local scribes.
One notable figure bearing the STIEL surname was Johann Gottfried Stiel, a renowned clockmaker born in Nuremberg in 1717. His intricate timepieces were highly sought after by the European nobility, and several examples of his work can still be found in museums and private collections today.
Another significant individual was Friedrich Wilhelm Stiel, a 19th-century philosopher and academic born in Erfurt in 1829. He authored several influential works on metaphysics and ethics, and held prestigious teaching positions at universities in Berlin and Leipzig.
In the realm of literature, the name STIEL is associated with the German poet and novelist Anna Stiel, who lived from 1857 to 1932. Her lyrical works often explored themes of nature and romanticism, and she was celebrated for her vivid imagery and evocative language.
Moving into the 20th century, one cannot overlook the contributions of Hans Stiel, a pioneering German engineer born in 1885. He played a pivotal role in the development of early jet engine technology and held numerous patents related to aircraft propulsion systems.
Finally, in the field of sports, the STIEL name gained recognition through the achievements of Lukas Stiel, a German tennis player born in 1968. He enjoyed a successful professional career, winning several ATP Tour titles and representing his country in numerous Davis Cup competitions.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Stiel.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Stiel was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 95.63% | 175 |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.00% | 0 |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | (S)% | (S) |
Hispanic Origin | (S)% | (S) |
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 Stiel has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
White | 95.63% | 93.81% | 1.92% |
Black | (S)% | 0.00% | (S)% |
Asian and Pacific Islander | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Two or More Races | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
Hispanic | (S)% | 3.98% | (S)% |
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 Stiel was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/stiel-surname-popularity/">Stiel last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Stiel last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on August 28, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/stiel-surname-popularity/.
"Stiel last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/stiel-surname-popularity/. Accessed 28 August, 2025
Stiel last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/stiel-surname-popularity/.
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