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

Weisel, 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 Weisel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Weisel in America

Weisel is the 19924th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Weisel surname appeared 1,347 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 Weisel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Weisel 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 Weisel

The surname Weisel is of German origin and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the German word "Weisel," which refers to a weasel. The name likely originated as a nickname for someone who was considered to be quick, agile, or cunning like a weasel.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Weisel can be found in various German regions, particularly in Bavaria and Saxony, during the 13th and 14th centuries. It was often spelled in various ways, such as "Weysel," "Weissl," or "Weissel," reflecting the regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time.

One notable historical reference to the name Weisel is found in the Biberacher Stadtbuch, a chronicle of the city of Biberach in southern Germany, dating back to the 15th century. This document mentions a certain "Hans Weisel," who was a prominent citizen of the town.

In the 16th century, the name Weisel gained further recognition with the birth of Gaspar Weisel (1545-1620), a German Lutheran theologian and author. He was born in Schmalkalden, Hesse, and became a prominent figure in the theological debates of his time, publishing several works on religious matters.

Another notable figure with the surname Weisel was Johann Philipp Weisel (1694-1778), a German composer and organist from Nürnberg. He is remembered for his contributions to the development of the concerto grosso form and for his compositions for keyboard instruments.

During the 19th century, the name Weisel can be associated with Caspar Weisel (1815-1892), a German painter and lithographer from Munich. He was known for his landscapes and genre scenes, which captured the everyday life and rural settings of his time.

In more recent history, the name Weisel gained international recognition with the work of Elie Wiesel (1928-2016), a renowned Romanian-born American writer, professor, and Holocaust survivor. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986 for his efforts in speaking out against violence, oppression, and racism. His memoir "Night" is a powerful account of his experiences during the Holocaust and has become a seminal work in Holocaust literature.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Weisel

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

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

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

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