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    The surname Axel

    A Norse surname, carried by 670 people in the United States.

    Pronounced /ˈæk.səl/ 2 syllables Soundex A240 Also a first name

    Axel: #33,941 of 162,253 surnames in the 2010 US Census #1Smith#160,975Doriott#10Martinez#100Jimenez#1,000Archer#10,001Dubon Axel #33,941, 670 people Axel: #33,941 of 162,253 surnames in the 2010 US Census #1Smith#100Jimenez Axel #33,941, 670 people
    Every surname held by 100 or more people in the 2010 US Census, most common on the left (162,253 in all). Axel is more common than 79.1% of them.

    Origin

    Norse origin

    From Danish Aksel, first used for the bishop and statesman Absalon Hvide (1128–1201), from biblical Absalom. Some sources suggest that the bishop was originally named Áskell, from Old Norse "god" + "cauldron, helmet", and Absalon was chosen as the nearest-sounding Christian equivalent, leading to the exchange of the middle consonants.

    One of 126 Norse surnames on this site.

    Origin from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    How common it is

    2010 US Census

    There were 670 people named Axel in the United States in 2010, about 1 in every 460,814 Americans. That is up 6.2% since 2000, when the Census counted 631.

    #33,941
    rank among US surnames
    670
    people in 2010
    0.2
    per 100,000 Americans
    +6.2%
    change since 2000 (was #34,038)

    Who is named Axel

    Race and Hispanic origin as people reported it in the 2010 Census

    69% of people named Axel identified as white (not Hispanic), 23% as Black (not Hispanic) and 5.4% as Hispanic or Latino (any race).

    • White (not Hispanic) 69%
    • Black (not Hispanic) 23%
    • Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.4%
    • Two or more races 1.8%
    The Census suppresses very small shares to protect privacy; Asian & Pacific Islander, Native American are not shown.

    Compare: most common surnames among white Americans.

    Famous Axels

    2 notable people on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Richard Axel
      American molecular biologist, born 1946
    • Curtis Axel
      American professional wrestler, born 1979

    Other Norse surnames

    All 126 Norse surnames

    Questions

    Where does the surname Axel come from?
    From Danish Aksel, first used for the bishop and statesman Absalon Hvide (1128–1201), from biblical Absalom. Some sources suggest that the bishop was originally named Áskell, from Old Norse "god" + "cauldron, helmet", and Absalon was chosen as the nearest-sounding Christian equivalent, leading to…
    How common is the surname Axel?
    670 people in the United States had the surname Axel in the 2010 Census, about 1 in every 460,814 Americans. It ranked 33,941st of 162,253 surnames.
    What ethnicity is the surname Axel?
    In the 2010 Census, 69% of people named Axel identified as white (not Hispanic), and 23% as Black (not Hispanic).
    Who is the most famous person named Axel?
    Richard Axel, American molecular biologist, followed by Curtis Axel.
    Where is the surname Axel most common?
    Wikidata records people named Axel in the United States.
    How do you pronounce Axel?
    Axel is /ˈæk.səl/, 2 syllables.
    Is the surname Axel getting more or less common?
    More common. 631 people carried it in the 2000 Census and 670 in 2010, up 6.2%.
    Is Axel also a first name?
    Yes. Axel is used as a first name as well as a surname; its first-name page has the meaning and how many babies were given it.