The Wetzel surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 15,849 people carried this name — #2,300 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 18,600 people counted. That is up 1% from 15,674 in 2000.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 890 people named Wetzel.
31 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 50 départements, most often Haut-Rhin.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 860 people named Wetzel 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 Entre Ríos.
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 Switzerland’s population statistics
730 people named Wetzel live in Switzerland.
They live in 21 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In Poland’s population register
65 people named Wetzel have a registered home in Poland.
Of the 93 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 7 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Lubusz.
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 Belgium’s population register
At least 28 people named Wetzel 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 print
Wetzel in American newspapers,
1897–1922.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.
Who carried it
People named Wetzel,
with a public archive behind them.
-
Johann Caspar Wetzel 1691–1755 · writer -
Albert Wetzel 1852–1923 · politician -
Justus Hermann Wetzel 1879–1973 · writer -
Robert Wetzel 1898–1962 · physician -
E. S. Wetzel 1907–1988 · military personnel
Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons (CC0) · 163 lives in all are documented under this name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Wetzel.
- Westphal 7,101 · U.S. census
- Westrich 480 · U.S. census
- Wetta 243 · U.S. census
- Wetter 1,553 · U.S. census
- Wetterer 120 · U.S. census
- Wettstein 1,279 · U.S. census
- Wetzler 1,114 · U.S. census
- Wexler 3,787 · U.S. census
- Wey 930 · U.S. census
- Weyand 1,501 · U.S. census
- Weyant 2,130 · U.S. census
- Weydert 285 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Wetzel 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.