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

Happel, 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 Happel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Happel in America

Happel is the 15727th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Happel surname appeared 1,854 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 Happel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Happel 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 Happel

The surname Happel originates from Germany and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "happal," which means "hook" or "crook." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who worked with hooks or crooks, possibly a shepherd or a farmer.

One of the earliest known records of the name Happel appears in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of medieval documents from the region of Saxony, dating back to the 13th century. In these records, the name is spelled "Happel" and is associated with various individuals and families living in the area.

In the 14th century, the name Happel can be found in the tax records of the city of Nuremberg, indicating the presence of individuals bearing this surname in the region. These records often provide valuable insights into the occupations and social status of the name-bearers at the time.

The Happel surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure is Johann Happel (1654-1726), a German writer and theologian who authored numerous works on religious and historical subjects. Another notable Happel was Friedrich Happel (1725-1795), a German painter known for his portraits and historical scenes.

In the 16th century, the name Happel appears in the records of the Free Imperial City of Augsburg, a prominent center of trade and commerce in southern Germany. The name is often linked to various craftsmen and artisans, suggesting that it may have been a common surname among skilled workers during that period.

The Happel surname has also been found in the records of the Duchy of Württemberg, a historical territory located in southwestern Germany. In the 17th century, there are records of Happel families residing in the town of Esslingen, known for its textile industry and trade activities.

Another notable figure with the surname Happel is Johann Christian Happel (1798-1877), a German theologian and writer who was influential in the early stages of the Moravian Church's missionary work. Additionally, Ewald Happel (1847-1909) was a German architect and urban planner who made significant contributions to the development of the city of Leipzig.

While the Happel surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including North America and other European countries, due to migration and immigration patterns over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Happel

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!