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

Witzel, 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 Witzel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Witzel in America

Witzel is the 17379th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Witzel surname appeared 1,625 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Witzel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Witzel 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 Witzel

The surname Witzel has its roots in the German-speaking regions, likely originating from the medieval Holy Roman Empire around the 12th to 14th centuries. The name is most commonly associated with the areas of what is present-day Germany, particularly in regions such as Saxony, Bavaria, and the Rhineland. It is believed to derive from the Middle High German word "witzel," which could be interpreted as a diminutive form of "wizzo," meaning wise or clever, implying a nickname that highlighted an individual’s intelligence or wit.

Historical references to the name Witzel appear in various medieval records and manuscripts. One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname can be traced back to a mention in a 13th-century ledger from Saxony, where a Johann Witzel was listed as a landholder in 1278. The name appears in similar forms in subsequent centuries, including references in tax registers, which give us an insight into its spread and variations in spelling such as Wytzel or Witzl.

In the 16th century, the Reformation period brought another notable mention of the surname. Johannes Witzel, a Protestant reformer born in 1501 and died in 1572, played a significant role in the religious transformations in Germany. His work and writings contributed significantly to the religious dialogues of the time and secured his place in the historical records.

The surname also appears in military records, particularly during the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648). A Captain Hans Witzel, born in 1595 and died in 1647, served in the armies of the Holy Roman Empire and is documented as having participated in several key battles during this tumultuous period of European history.

In the arts, the name Witzel comes up in the 18th century with the painter Friedrich Witzel, born in 1724 and died in 1796, who was known for his landscape paintings and contributions to Central European artistic movements. His works were celebrated for their detailed portrayal of natural scenes and appeared in several prominent galleries of the time.

By the 19th century, the surname Witzel had found prominence in academia. Dr. Karl Friedrich Witzel, a noted philologist born in 1834 and died in 1902, made significant contributions to the study of Germanic languages and was a respected professor at several universities. His academic texts and research further solidified the reputation of the Witzel name in scholarly circles.

As with many surnames of this age, the name Witzel has experienced variations and adaptations over the centuries. Yet it has maintained a consistent presence in historical records, contributing to its recognition and continuity through the ages.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Witzel

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

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

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

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