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

Viel, 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 Viel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Viel in America

Viel is the 29403rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Viel surname appeared 804 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 Viel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Viel 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 Viel

The surname VIEL originated in France during the early medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "viel," which means "old" or "ancient." This name likely referred to someone who was advanced in age or perhaps distinguished themselves as an elder or wise person in their community.

The earliest recorded instances of the VIEL surname can be traced back to the 12th century in various regions of northern France, particularly in Normandy and Picardy. Some of the earliest documented examples include Robert Viel, who was mentioned in a charter from the Abbey of Saint-Martin-aux-Bois in Picardy in 1162, and Willelmus Viel, whose name appeared in records from the town of Vieux-Manoir in Normandy in 1195.

During the Middle Ages, the VIEL surname was also found in various medieval manuscripts and records, such as the Testa de Nevill, a survey of landholdings in England conducted in 1212, which mentioned a Radulfus Viel holding lands in Wiltshire. Additionally, the Hundred Rolls of 1273 recorded a Johannes Viel in Oxfordshire.

Notable individuals who bore the VIEL surname throughout history include:

1. Jean Viel (c. 1530 - c. 1610), a French Renaissance composer and music theorist from Normandy.
2. Nicolas Viel (c. 1639 - 1711), a French Jesuit missionary and explorer who traveled to Canada and established missions among the indigenous peoples.
3. Jean-Baptiste Viel (1789 - 1866), a French politician and lawyer who served as a deputy in the French National Assembly during the July Monarchy.
4. Édouard Viel (1832 - 1887), a French architect and urban planner who designed several notable buildings in Paris in the late 19th century.
5. Marie-Anne Viel (1825 - 1892), a French nun and educator who founded the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition in Marseille.

The VIEL surname has also been associated with various place names throughout France, such as Viel-Arcy, a commune in the Aisne department of northern France, and Vielville, a village in the Pas-de-Calais region. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the VIEL surname who were prominent landowners or residents in those areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Viel

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

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

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

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