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Axel Family History

Axel Name Meaning

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 . 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).

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


Similar surnames: Apel, Abel, Adel, Abele, Appel, Gabel, Aye, Ahl, Hamel, Axe

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Axel family from?

You can see how Axel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Axel family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Axel families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there was 1 Axel family living in Somerset. This was 100% of all the recorded Axel's in United Kingdom. Somerset had the highest population of Axel families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Axel surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Axel ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Servant were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Axel. 15% of Axel men worked as a Laborer and 20% of Axel women worked as a Servant. Some less common occupations for Americans named Axel were Machinist and Cook. .

View Census Data for Axel | 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

  • Laborer
    15%
  • Farmer
    12%
  • Salesman
    12%
  • Machinist
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Servant
    20%
  • Housewife
    14%
  • Farm Laborer
    14%
  • Cook
    14%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Axel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Axel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Axel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Axel

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Axel. 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 Axel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 732 military records available for the last name Axel. For the veterans among your Axel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Axel military records

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What is the average Axel lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Axel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Axel in 1955 was 62, and 87 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Axel

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