The Kessel surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,976 people carried this name — #6,777 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 59,200 people counted. That is up 27% from 3,912 in 2000.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 395 people named Kessel live in Argentina.
RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 61 people named Kessel.
15 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 9 départements, most often Maine-et-Loire.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
52 people named Kessel live in Switzerland.
They live in 7 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In Belgium’s population register
At least 46 people named Kessel live in Belgium.
Statbel only publishes a name in a municipality when five or more people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Liège.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Statbel (Statistics Belgium), family names of the population by municipality, 1 January 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In Poland’s population register
38 people named Kessel have a registered home in Poland.
Of the 76 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 4 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Łódź.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.
In the Nordic population registers
47 people named Kessel are counted in Finland and Sweden.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.
Counted, by country
Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In print
Kessel in American newspapers,
1897–1906.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 37,645 pages in all carry the name.
Who carried it
People named Kessel,
with a public archive behind them.
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Theodoor van Kessel 1610–1693 · poet
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Theodoor van Kessel 1610–1690 · poet
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Theodoor van Kessel 1610–1660 · poet
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Theodoor van Kessel 1610–1693 · poet
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Theodoor van Kessel 1610–1690 · poet
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Theodoor van Kessel 1610–1660 · poet
Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Kessel.
- Kerber 3,535 · U.S. census
- Kerkhove 131 · U.S. census
- Kern 28,547 · U.S. census
- Kernen 548 · U.S. census
- Kerner 4,001 · U.S. census
- Kesler 6,704 · U.S. census
- Kesseler 159 · U.S. census
- Kessler 29,064 · U.S. census
- Kesteloot 246 · U.S. census
- Kestler 1,030 · U.S. census
- Ketels 151 · U.S. census
- Ketterer 2,620 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Kessel is.
A volume says what happened to it.
Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.