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

Voelkel, 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 Voelkel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Voelkel in America

Voelkel is the 23472nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Voelkel surname appeared 1,083 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 Voelkel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Voelkel 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 Voelkel

The surname Voelkel is of German origin, originating in the late medieval period around the 13th century. It is derived from the Old German word "vogel," meaning "bird," and the diminutive suffix "-el," indicating a small or diminutive form. The name likely referred to someone who was associated with birds, perhaps a bird catcher or a person who lived near a place frequented by birds.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to various regions of Germany, including Bavaria, Saxony, and the Rhineland. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Johannes Voelkel, a merchant from Nuremberg, who was mentioned in a document dated 1387.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in several historical records, such as the Nürnberger Bürgerbuch (Nuremberg Citizen Book), which documented the names of citizens in the city of Nuremberg. One notable entry was for a certain Hans Voelkel, a wealthy merchant who lived in the city during the late 1400s.

The spelling of the name has evolved over time, with variations such as Vogelchen, Voeglein, and Voegele appearing in different regions of Germany. Some places also derived their names from the surname, such as the village of Voelkelsheim in Bavaria, which was first mentioned in a document from 1285.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the surname Voelkel. For instance, Johann Voelkel (1619-1668) was a German sculptor and architect who worked in various cities, including Dresden and Prague. Another prominent figure was Friedrich Voelkel (1792-1861), a German poet and writer who was part of the Romantic movement.

In the 19th century, the name crossed the Atlantic with German immigrants to the United States and other countries. One notable American bearer of the name was Christian Voelkel (1837-1914), a German-born farmer and businessman who settled in Missouri and became a successful landowner.

Other notable individuals with the surname Voelkel include Hans Voelkel (1887-1962), a German architect and urban planner who designed several buildings in Berlin, and Gertrud Voelkel (1892-1977), a German artist and painter known for her abstract expressionist works.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Voelkel

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

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

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

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