2010
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Zakel
Of Arabic origin, indicating one who distributes alms or charity.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Zakel. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zakel surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Zakel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zakel, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zakel
The surname Zakel is believed to have originated in Central Europe, most likely within the regions that are now Germany and Poland. Historical evidence suggests that the name dates back to the medieval period around the 12th to 14th centuries. Linguistically, the name Zakel likely derives from ancient Slavic roots or early Germanic languages. It might be connected to the word "zaka," which in Old Slavic languages referred to aggressive or bold characteristics, or it might have Germanic origins linked to the word "sack," implying a bag or sack-maker.
Records from the early Middle Ages show variations of the name in different manuscripts, a reflection of regional dialects and the lack of standardized spelling. The name can be found in old church registers and land grants. One early recorded instance is from a 13th-century monastery document in what is now the eastern part of Germany, where a Henricus Zakel was mentioned in connection with land allocated to the monastery.
The surname also appears in the context of nobility and knightly families in the 14th century. One notable individual was Gottfried Zakel, a knight who served under the Teutonic Order in Prussia during the late 1300s. He was documented in several military engagements and was known for his role in the Battle of Grunwald in 1410, a crucial conflict between the Teutonic Order and a coalition of Polish and Lithuanian forces.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name appeared more frequently in regional tax records and parochial registers. For instance, in 1593, a Jurgen Zakel was noted as a wealthy merchant in the town of Danzig (now Gdańsk, Poland), contributing significantly to the local economy through trade and commerce. There is also mention of a Johann Zakel, born in 1610, who became a notable figure in the Protestant Reformation movement within Silesia.
Moving into modern history, the 19th century provides another prominent figure named Friedrich Zakel, born in 1805. He was a renowned physician and made significant contributions to the field of medical science in areas that are now part of Germany. His works were published in several medical journals of the time, marking him as a significant figure in his field.
Towards the end of the 19th century, another Zakel gained recognition. Maria Zakel, born in 1864, was a pioneer in women's education in Hungary. She established schools and advocated for the advancement of educational opportunities for women, leaving a lasting impact on the education system.
Throughout its history, the surname Zakel has been tied to various professions and societal roles, from knights and merchants to physicians and educators. Each mention in historical records indicates the name's presence and importance in different European contexts, reflecting the diverse paths taken by its bearers.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zakel
Among Census respondents with the surname Zakel, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Zakel bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Zakel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.9% · 100
- Two or more races3.6% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 3
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zakel
Zakel appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+7 bearers (+6.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 7,788 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.8%) | Up 7,788 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Zakel surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #157,234 | #149,446 | 5.0% |
| Count | 103 | 110 | 6.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 22.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zakel bearers went from 103 to 110 (+6.8% change). The surname moved up 7,788 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #149,446.
FAQ
Zakel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zakel?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Zakel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Zakel?
Zakel ranks #149,446 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 110 people with the surname Zakel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Zakel.
Has Zakel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zakel went from 103 recorded bearers to 110. That is an increase of 7 (+6.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Zakel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zakel, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (2.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Zakel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.9% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zakel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.9%), Two or More Races (3.6%), Hispanic (2.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Zakel (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Zakel mean?
Of Arabic origin, indicating one who distributes alms or charity. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Zakel (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Zakel?
You can see how many people are called Zakel on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.