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

Chappelle, 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 Chappelle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chappelle in America

Chappelle is the 13810th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chappelle surname appeared 2,189 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Chappelle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chappelle 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 Chappelle

The surname Chappelle has its origins in France, with records dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "chapele," meaning a small chapel or oratory. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a chapel or was responsible for its maintenance.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Chappelle can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive record of landowners and property in England at the time of the Norman Conquest. The name appeared as "de Chapele," indicating a connection to a specific location or estate.

During the Middle Ages, the Chappelle family was prominent in the Normandy region of France. Historical records mention a knight named Raoul Chappelle, who fought alongside William the Conqueror during the Norman invasion of England in 1066. He was later granted lands in Sussex for his services.

In the 13th century, a branch of the Chappelle family settled in the English county of Yorkshire. One notable member was Sir John Chappelle, who served as a member of Parliament during the reign of Edward III (1312-1377). He was also a respected landowner and military commander.

The name Chappelle underwent various spelling variations throughout history, including Chapell, Chapelle, and Chappel. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of local record keepers.

In the 16th century, a prominent member of the Chappelle family was Sir Thomas Chappelle (1519-1586), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament during the reigns of Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I.

Another notable figure was François Chappelle (1620-1701), a French merchant and explorer who played a significant role in the early colonization of the Caribbean. He established settlements on the islands of Martinique and Saint Lucia.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Chappelle family continued to be influential in both France and England. Some members were involved in the religious and political turmoil of the time, while others pursued careers in the military, law, and commerce.

Over the centuries, the surname Chappelle has been associated with various place names, such as Chapelle-sur-Vire in Normandy, France, and Chappel in Essex, England. These locations likely played a role in the evolution and distribution of the name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chappelle

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

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 Chappelle 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 Chappelle 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 Chappelle was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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