2000
#134,929
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Capler
A topographic surname referring to someone living near a chapel.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Capler. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Capler surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Capler in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Capler, the largest self-reported group is White at 46.5%. The next largest groups are Black (40.4%) and Two or More Races (7.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Capler
The surname Capler is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "ceapere," meaning "merchant" or "trader." This name first emerged in the 11th century, during the Norman Conquest of England.
The earliest known record of the Capler surname dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was listed as "Caplere" in the county of Oxfordshire. It is believed that the name originated from the town of Capler, which no longer exists but was once located in the same region.
During the Middle Ages, the Capler family was prominent in the wool trade, with several members holding influential positions in various guilds and merchant associations. One notable figure was Robert Capler (1295-1367), a wealthy wool merchant from Gloucester who served as the town's mayor in 1345.
In the 16th century, the Capler surname gained further recognition when William Capler (1510-1579) became a renowned scholar and theologian at Oxford University. His works on religious doctrine and philosophy were widely studied throughout England and Europe.
Another prominent figure was Sir Edward Capler (1642-1712), a respected military commander who fought in the Nine Years' War against France. He was knighted by King William III for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
During the 18th century, the Capler family branched out into various professions, with members becoming successful lawyers, doctors, and landowners. One such individual was Charles Capler (1725-1795), a prominent barrister who served as a judge in the Court of Common Pleas.
In the 19th century, the Capler name gained recognition in the field of literature with the works of novelist and poet, Elizabeth Capler (1810-1888). Her romantic novels and vivid descriptions of English countryside life earned her critical acclaim and a dedicated readership.
Throughout its history, the Capler surname has been associated with various place names and alternative spellings, such as Capeler, Cappler, and Caplor. These variations often reflected regional dialects and local pronunciations of the name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Capler
Among Census respondents with the surname Capler, the largest self-reported group is White at 46.5%. The next largest groups are Black (40.4%) and Two or More Races (7.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Capler bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Capler surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White46.5% · 53
- Black or African American40.4% · 46
- Two or more races7.9% · 9
- Hispanic or Latino5.3% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Capler
Capler appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-9 bearers (-7.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 18,840 places
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+8 bearers (+7.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 7,274 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,929 | 115 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.8%) | Down 18,840 places |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+7.5%) | Up 7,274 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Capler surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #153,769 | #146,495 | 4.7% |
| Count | 106 | 114 | 7.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Capler bearers went from 106 to 114 (+7.5% change). The surname moved up 7,274 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #146,495.
FAQ
Capler surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Capler?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Capler. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Capler?
Capler ranks #146,495 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 114 people with the surname Capler. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Capler.
Has Capler become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Capler went from 106 recorded bearers to 114. That is an increase of 8 (+7.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Capler?
Among Census respondents with the surname Capler, the largest self-reported group is White at 46.5%. The next largest groups are Black (40.4%) and Two or More Races (7.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Capler in the 2020 Census, accounting for 46.5% (53 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Capler appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (46.5%), Black (40.4%), Two or More Races (7.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Capler (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Capler mean?
A topographic surname referring to someone living near a chapel. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Capler (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Capler?
You can see how many people have the last name Capler on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.