Explore the Family Name Jessel
The meaning of Jessel
1. German: derivative of Jesse. 2. English: perhaps a variant of Chessell with voicing of initial /ʧ/ to /ʤ/, spelled J-. This is a habitational name, either from Chesthill, a lost place in Moreton Say and Stoke upon Tern (Shropshire) or from Chessell, Freshwater (Isle of Wight). Both placenames are spelled as Chesthull in medieval records but the Shropshire name is thought to refer to a hill (Old English hyll) where parish boundaries were disputed (the first element is Old English ceast ‘strife, contention’), whereas the Isle of Wight name refers to a hill where burial chests or coffins were found (the first element is Old English cest ‘chest’), probably referring to the 6th-century pagan cemetery on Chessell Down. 3. French: diminutive of Jesse. 4. Jewish (Ashkenazic): from Yiddish Yossel, Yessell, a pet form of the personal name Josef (see Joseph). Some characteristic forenames: German Kurt, Heinz.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Jessel in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Jessel saw a decline between 2000 and 2010. The rank of the surname fell from 54,880 in 2000 to 62,189 in 2010, representing a decrease of 13.32%. The count of people with the Jessel surname also reduced from 351 in 2000 to 322 in 2010, marking an 8.26% drop. Accordingly, the proportion of individuals named Jessel per 100,000 people decreased by 15.38%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #54,880 | #62,189 | -13.32% |
| Count | 351 | 322 | -8.26% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.13 | 0.11 | -15.38% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Jessel
Regarding the ethnic identity associated with the Jessel surname, the Census data shows some shifts between 2000 and 2010. The proportion of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and individuals with two or more races both went down to zero. The percentage of White individuals slightly declined from 89.17% in 2000 to 88.82% in 2010. Meanwhile, Hispanic representation increased by 37.71%, making up 7.45% of all Jessels in 2010. The surname gained a new association with American Indian and Alaskan Natives, which made up 1.55% of the population. Notably, there was no representation from the Black community in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 89.17% | 88.82% | -0.39% |
| Hispanic | 5.41% | 7.45% | 37.71% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 1.55% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.42% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 2.56% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |