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

Wikel, 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 Wikel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wikel in America

Wikel is the 48717th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wikel surname appeared 433 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 Wikel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wikel 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 Wikel

The surname Wikel is believed to have originated in Germany during the medieval period. It appears to be most commonly associated with the regions of Bavaria and Franconia. The name likely derives from the old Germanic word "wik," which refers to a village or settlement, and "el," which is a diminutive suffix in Germanic languages. Over time, the name might have evolved through various phonetic spellings and adaptations.

One of the earliest recorded instances of a surname similar to Wikel appears in the medieval legal and church documents of Bavaria. Records from the 13th century refer to a "Johannes Wikeler," a landowner in the Franconian region. Documents indicate that his holdings were significant and that his lineage continued to use variations of the name for several generations.

The name appears in various medieval records throughout southern Germany. For instance, a 14th-century monk by the name of "Thomas Wiklair" is noted for his contributions to a monastery in Nuremberg. His religious manuscripts survive, providing a glimpse into the scholarly life of the time and affirming the prominence of his family name.

By the 16th century, the name Wikel appears in Swabian church records. One noted individual from this period is "Georg Wikel," born in 1542, who was a noted woodworker renowned for his intricately carved altarpieces. Historical records indicate that his craftsmanship was sought after by both local churches and affluent patrons.

In the early 17th century, a "Hans Wikel" is mentioned in legal documents concerning land disputes in the Rhineland. Born in 1593, Hans played a crucial role in negotiating land treaties, and his actions are documented in the annals of regional history.

Another notable bearer of the surname is "Maria Wikel," born in 1678, who was a midwife in the Munster region. Historical accounts suggest she delivered over 500 babies during her lifetime. Her extensive midwifery records offer insight into the medical practices of the time.

Throughout history, the Wikel surname has also appeared in scattered records in other German-speaking areas, reflecting the mobility and social interactions of the bearers. As immigration patterns shifted during the 18th and 19th centuries, some bearers of the Wikel name migrated to North America, contributing to the surname's presence in the New World, although these records mainly date to later periods.

The surname's variations and adaptations over time reflect broader linguistic and cultural shifts within Germany and underscore the diverse occupations and roles held by those who bore the name across the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wikel

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!