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

Karle, 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 Karle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Karle in America

Karle is the 16305th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Karle surname appeared 1,768 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 Karle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Karle 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 Karle

The surname Karle originated in Germany during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old German word "Karl," which means "man" or "free man." This name was likely given to someone who was seen as a strong or independent individual.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Karle can be found in various German documents dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries. One notable example is a record from the year 1237 that mentions a man named Heinrich Karle from the town of Cologne.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in several manuscripts from the region of Bavaria. The town of Karlstadt, located along the Main River, was named after a man with the surname Karle who was a prominent landowner in the area during that time.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Karle was Johann Karle, a German theologian and philosopher who lived from 1487 to 1560. He was a prominent figure in the Protestant Reformation and wrote several influential works on theology and ethics.

Another notable figure with the surname Karle was Hans Karle, a German painter and engraver who lived from 1550 to 1609. He was known for his intricate woodcuts and engravings, many of which depicted religious scenes and landscapes.

In the 17th century, the Karle family produced several notable artisans and craftsmen. One such individual was Michael Karle, a German goldsmith who was born in 1625 and lived in the city of Nuremberg. His intricate metalwork and jewelry designs were highly sought after by the wealthy elite of the time.

During the 18th century, the name Karle became more widespread across various German-speaking regions. One notable figure from this period was Friedrich Karle, a German composer and musician who lived from 1720 to 1789. He was known for his compositions for the harpsichord and organ, which were widely performed in churches and concert halls throughout Germany.

In the 19th century, the surname Karle continued to be associated with various professions and occupations. One notable individual was Heinrich Karle, a German architect who lived from 1815 to 1891. He was responsible for designing several important buildings and landmarks in the city of Berlin, including the famous Reichstag building.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Karle

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

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

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

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