Find out how popular the last name Apfel is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Apfel.

Apfel, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Apfel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Apfel in America

Apfel is the 30420th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Apfel surname appeared 768 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Apfel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Apfel to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Apfel

The surname Apfel has its origins in Germany, dating back to the early medieval period. It is derived from the German word "Apfel," which means "apple." The name likely originated as a descriptive surname, referring to someone who lived near an apple orchard or was involved in the cultivation or trade of apples.

In the Middle Ages, surnames were often based on occupations, physical characteristics, or locations. The Apfel surname may have been initially given to someone who lived near an apple orchard or worked as an apple farmer or seller. It could also have been used as a nickname for someone with a rosy complexion, similar to the color of an apple.

The earliest recorded instances of the Apfel surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various German regions, including Bavaria, Saxony, and the Rhineland. Some variations in spelling include Appel, Apfel, and Epfel.

One notable historical reference to the Apfel name is found in the "Schwabach Book of Christian Names" (Schwabacher Namenbuch), a 15th-century manuscript that recorded the names and occupations of citizens in the town of Schwabach, located in modern-day Bavaria. The entry for Apfel is listed alongside professions such as baker, miller, and tailor.

Among the earliest recorded individuals with the Apfel surname are:

1. Hans Apfel (c. 1450 - 1520), a German Renaissance painter and woodcut artist from Nuremberg.
2. Matthias Apfel (c. 1495 - 1570), a German Protestant theologian and reformer from Saxony.
3. Katharina Apfel (c. 1520 - 1590), a German herbalist and healer from the town of Apolda in Thuringia.
4. Georg Apfel (c. 1570 - 1635), a German astronomer and mathematician from Ingolstadt, known for his contributions to the development of the Gregorian calendar.
5. Johann Apfel (c. 1610 - 1680), a German composer and organist from Nuremberg, known for his church music and organ works.

Throughout the centuries, the Apfel surname has been associated with various professions, including artists, scholars, and musicians, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of those who bore this name. While the name's origins may have been humble, it has left a lasting mark on German history and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Apfel

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Apfel.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Apfel was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Apfel has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Apfel was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Apfel, please contact us.

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