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Rickel Family History

Rickel Surname Meaning

German: habitational name from a place in Haspengau (near Lüttich) named Rickel. German: from a female ancient Germanic personal name Riclind. German: from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements rīc ‘power(ful)’ + walt- ‘rule’.

German: variant of Richel. English: variant of Rickell, a habitational name from Riccall (Yorkshire) which probably derives from the Old English personal name Rīca + halh ‘nook corner of land’.

Additionally, it is a variant of Richold (see Rickles). The surname Rickel has died out in Britain.

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


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Where is the Rickel family from?

You can see how Rickel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rickel family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rickel families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 6 Rickel families living in Essex. This was about 27% of all the recorded Rickel's in United Kingdom. Essex and 1 other county had the highest population of Rickel families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rickel surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Rickel ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Secretary were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Rickel. 21% of Rickel men worked as a Farmer and 14% of Rickel women worked as a Secretary. Some less common occupations for Americans named Rickel were Farm Laborer and Clerk.

View Census Data for Rickel | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    21%
  • Laborer
    20%
  • Salesman
    10%
  • Farm Laborer
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Secretary
    14%
  • Housekeeper
    11%
  • Maid
    11%
  • Clerk
    11%

What Rickel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Rickel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rickel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rickel

Passenger Lists

There are 810 immigration records available for the last name Rickel. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Rickel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Rickel. For the veterans among your Rickel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rickel military records

You've only scratched the surface of Rickel family history

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What is the average Rickel lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Rickel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1964, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Rickel in 1947 was 50, and 86 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rickel

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Rickel 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.

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