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

Hepler, 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 Hepler surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hepler in America

Hepler is the 7494th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hepler surname appeared 4,445 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Hepler.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hepler 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 Hepler

The surname Hepler has its origins in the German language and is believed to have originated in the regions of Germany and Switzerland. It is thought to be derived from the Middle High German word "helfer," which translates to "helper" or "assistant." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as an occupational surname, referring to someone who worked as a helper or assistant to a craftsman or tradesman.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Hepler surname can be found in the town of Wertheim, located in the present-day German state of Baden-Württemberg. In the 15th century, records show a family with the surname Helfer residing in this area. Over time, the spelling evolved to the more modern form of Hepler.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, as German-speaking communities expanded across Europe, the Hepler name began to appear in various regions, including Switzerland and the Netherlands. In the Swiss town of Basel, church records from the early 1600s mention individuals with the surname Hepler.

As immigration to the Americas increased in the 18th and 19th centuries, many individuals bearing the Hepler surname made their way to the United States and other parts of the New World. One notable figure was Johann Hepler, a German immigrant who settled in Pennsylvania in the mid-1700s and became a prominent farmer and landowner.

Another individual of note was William Hepler, an American businessman and philanthropist who lived from 1825 to 1903. He made his fortune in the textile industry and was known for his charitable contributions to educational institutions and civic organizations.

In the field of academia, Edwin Hepler (1876-1949) was a renowned American chemist and professor at the University of Pennsylvania. His research focused on organic chemistry and the synthesis of new compounds.

The Hepler name also has ties to the literary world, with American author and journalist Garry Hepler (1932-2020) being a notable figure. He was best known for his work as a columnist and editor for various publications in the state of Oregon.

Finally, Margaret Hepler (1916-2007) was a British-born ballet dancer and teacher who had a significant impact on the development of ballet in Australia. She founded the Australian Ballet School and was instrumental in nurturing talent in the country's dance community.

While the surname Hepler is not as common as some other German names, it has a rich history that spans several centuries and continents, with individuals bearing this name making contributions in various fields and leaving their mark on the cultural and historical landscapes of their respective communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hepler

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Hepler, 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!