Hetzel Name Meaning & Hetzel Family History at Ancestry.com®
History of your Surname
Get access to Hetzel family records.Start a free trial

Hetzel Family History

Hetzel Name Meaning

German:: from a pet form of the personal name Hermann . from an ancient Germanic personal name a pet form of a compound name formed with haid ‘heath wasteland’ as the first element. from Middle High German holz Middle Low German holt ‘wood’ a topographic name an occupational name for someone who provided wood or a nickname for a stubborn person.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Netzel, Metzel, Reitzel, Henzel, Hutzel, Hetzer, Oetzel, Menzel

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Hetzel family from?

You can see how Hetzel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Hetzel family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Hetzel families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 5 Hetzel families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 38% of all the recorded Hetzel's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Hetzel families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Hetzel surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Hetzel ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Hetzel. 18% of Hetzel men worked as a Farmer and 14% of Hetzel women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Hetzel were Truck Driver and Housework. .

View Census Data for Hetzel | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    18%
  • Laborer
    16%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Truck Driver
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    14%
  • Housekeeper
    12%
  • Housewife
    9%
  • Housework
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Hetzel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 16,000 census records available for the last name Hetzel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Hetzel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Hetzel

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Hetzel. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Hetzel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Hetzel. For the veterans among your Hetzel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Hetzel military records

You've only scratched the surface of Hetzel family history

Discover More

What is the average Hetzel lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Hetzel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Hetzel in 1952 was 47, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Hetzel

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Hetzel ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Hetzel family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial