Explore the Family Name Axel
The meaning of Axel
1. Danish and North German: from the personal name Axel, from Apsel, an obsolete vernacular form of the Biblical name Absolom. In North America, this surname is also a shortened form of the Scandinavian patronymics from the personal name Axel, such as Danish and Norwegian Axelsen. 2. English: variant of Axell, itself a variant of Axtell or Askell. The former is from the Middle English personal name Asketill (Old Norse Ásketill), or a metonymic occupational name for a salt merchant (from Middle English Hakkesalt, composed of the elements hakken ‘to hack, chop’ + salt ‘salt’). The latter is from the Middle English personal name Askell (Old Norse Áskell, a shortened form of Ásketill).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Axel in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Axel held the rank of 34,038 in popularity in the year 2000 and slightly increased to 33,941 by 2010, marking a minor change of 0.28. The count of individuals with this surname also grew over that decade, rising from 631 to 670, an increase of 6.18%. Despite these changes, the proportion of this surname per 100,000 people remained constant at 0.23.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #34,038 | #33,941 | 0.28% |
| Count | 631 | 670 | 6.18% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.23 | 0.23 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Axel
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows some interesting shifts for those with the surname Axel between 2000 and 2010. There was no record of Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native identities within this group. However, the percentage identifying as two or more races saw a significant increase of 126.58%, moving from 0.79% to 1.79%. Those identifying as white decreased by 5.40%, from 72.74% to 68.81%. The Hispanic representation among individuals with the Axel surname experienced a substantial growth of 275.52%, moving from 1.43% to 5.37%, while the black community saw a slight decrease of 4.60%, shifting down from 24.56% to 23.43%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 72.74% | 68.81% | -5.4% |
| Black | 24.56% | 23.43% | -4.6% |
| Hispanic | 1.43% | 5.37% | 275.52% |
| Two or More Races | 0.79% | 1.79% | 126.58% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |