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

Vassel, 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 Vassel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vassel in America

Vassel is the 42378th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vassel surname appeared 512 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 Vassel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vassel 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 Vassel

The surname Vassel is of French origin, and it is derived from the Old French word "vassal," which means a tenant or feudal retainer who held land from a lord or nobleman in exchange for military service. The name likely emerged during the Middle Ages, when the feudal system was prevalent in Europe.

The earliest records of the name Vassel can be traced back to the 12th century in France. One of the earliest known bearers of this surname was Raoul Vassel, a knight who served under King Philip II of France during the Third Crusade in the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name Vassel appeared in various documents and charters throughout northern France, particularly in the regions of Normandy and Picardy. The surname was often associated with minor nobility and landowners who held fiefs or estates under the authority of more powerful lords.

The surname Vassel has undergone several spelling variations over the centuries, including Vassal, Vaisselle, and Vaissel. These variations can be found in historical records from different regions of France and neighboring areas.

One notable bearer of the Vassel surname was Jean Vassel, a French explorer and navigator who accompanied Jacques Cartier on his voyages to North America in the 16th century. Vassel played a crucial role in mapping and documenting the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the St. Lawrence River.

In the 17th century, the name Vassel gained prominence in the southern regions of France, particularly in the Languedoc area. Guillaume Vassel (1592-1672) was a renowned lawyer and legal scholar from Montpellier, who authored several influential treatises on French law.

During the French Revolution in the late 18th century, a prominent figure with the name Vassel was Pierre-Toussaint Vassel (1744-1798), a French revolutionary and politician who served as a deputy in the National Convention and was a staunch supporter of the Jacobin faction.

In the 19th century, the Vassel family established itself in the French literary and artistic circles. Léon Vassel (1808-1876) was a celebrated French poet and novelist, known for his lyrical works and his contributions to the Romantic movement.

Another noteworthy individual with the surname Vassel was Marie-Thérèse Vassel (1853-1923), a French painter and sculptor who gained recognition for her portraits and genre scenes depicting everyday life in rural France.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vassel

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

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

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

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