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

Keplinger, 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 Keplinger surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Keplinger in America

Keplinger is the 15151st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Keplinger surname appeared 1,946 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 Keplinger.

We can also compare 2010 data for Keplinger 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 Keplinger

The surname Keplinger is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the 16th century in the southern regions of what is now modern-day Germany. It is believed to have derived from the German word "Kepler," meaning "maker of small wooden containers or cups." This occupation-based name was likely given to individuals who specialized in crafting these vessels, which were commonly used for drinking and storing liquids.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Keplinger can be found in the historical records of the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Bavaria, dating back to the late 1500s. In these documents, a family by the name of Keplinger is mentioned as being residents of the town, with several members working as skilled artisans and craftsmen.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Keplinger name began to spread throughout other parts of Germany, as well as neighboring regions such as Austria and Switzerland. This was likely due to the migration of families in search of better economic opportunities or fleeing religious persecution.

One notable historical figure bearing the Keplinger surname was Johann Keplinger (1571-1630), a renowned German astronomer and mathematician. He is best known for his groundbreaking work on the laws of planetary motion, which laid the foundation for much of modern astronomy. His contributions earned him a place among the most influential scientific minds of the Scientific Revolution.

Another individual of historical significance was Maria Keplinger (1824-1888), a German-born American nurse who served during the American Civil War. She was widely recognized for her dedication and compassion in caring for wounded soldiers on the battlefield, earning her the nickname "The Angel of the Battlefield."

The name Keplinger also found its way into various place names across Germany and Austria. For example, the village of Keplingerberg in the Austrian state of Lower Austria is named after a family who once owned land in the area. Similarly, the town of Keplinger in the German state of Bavaria likely derived its name from early settlers bearing this surname.

Throughout history, variations in the spelling of the Keplinger name have emerged, including Keplinger, Keplenger, and Keblinger, among others. However, these variations all stem from the same Germanic root and share a common ancestral lineage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Keplinger

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

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

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

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