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

Wetzel, 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 Wetzel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wetzel in America

Wetzel is the 2300th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wetzel surname appeared 15,849 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Wetzel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wetzel 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 Wetzel

The surname Wetzel originated in Germany, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old High German word "wazzil," meaning "butcher's dog" or "terrier." The name was likely used as a nickname for someone with a scrappy or tenacious personality, akin to a small, feisty terrier dog.

The Wetzel surname first appeared in the regions of Bavaria and Franconia, which were part of the Holy Roman Empire during the Middle Ages. It was also found in areas that are now part of modern-day Austria and Switzerland. Some variations in spelling include Wetzel, Wetzell, Wetzl, and Wetzler.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Wetzel name can be found in the Codex Traditionum Monasterii Mellicensis, a medieval manuscript from the Melk Abbey in Austria, which dates back to the 12th century. This document contains records of land transactions and mentions individuals with the surname Wetzel.

Notable individuals throughout history who bore the Wetzel surname include Johann Wetzel (1582-1644), a German Baroque composer and organist; Johann Caspar Wetzel (1691-1755), a German painter and engraver; and Johann Wetzel (1808-1888), a German politician and member of the Frankfurt Parliament during the Revolutions of 1848-49.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the Wetzel name is that of Lewis Wetzel (1763-1808), an American frontiersman, scout, and pioneer who played a significant role in the Indian Wars of the Ohio Valley. He was known for his skilled marksmanship and his exploits against Native American tribes during the westward expansion of the United States.

Another notable figure was John Wetzel (1804-1892), a German-American architect and builder who designed and constructed several notable buildings in Indiana, including the Tippecanoe County Courthouse and the First Presbyterian Church in Lafayette.

Johann Christoph Wetzel (1690-1766) was a German organ builder and organist who constructed organs in various churches throughout Germany and Switzerland, including the famous organ at the Frauenkirche in Dresden.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wetzel

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

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

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

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