2000
#146,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Meppelink
A Dutch surname meaning "small house" or "cottage".
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 137 Americans carry the last name Meppelink. That puts it at #148,347 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,501,856 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Meppelink surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Meppelink appeared in the 2010 Census surname file but was not included in the published 2020 file. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames with at least 100 recorded bearers, so this usually means the name fell below that threshold.
Bearers in the US
137
1 in 2,501,856
Census rank
#148,347
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Meppelink in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148347th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Meppelink, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Meppelink
The surname Meppelink is of Dutch origin, and its roots can be traced back to the 16th century in the Netherlands. This surname is derived from the Dutch words "meppen," meaning "to strike," and "link," which means "left-handed." The name is believed to have originated as a descriptive nickname for a left-handed person who was skilled in combat or physical activities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Meppelink surname can be found in the records of the city of Utrecht, where a person named Jan Meppelink was mentioned in a legal document dated 1572. This document suggests that the Meppelink family had established roots in the Utrecht region during that time period.
In the late 17th century, a notable individual named Pieter Meppelink (1647–1721) was a respected merchant and landowner in the town of Dordrecht. His successful business ventures and landholdings contributed to the family's prominence in the region.
During the 18th century, the Meppelink surname gained recognition in the literary world with the birth of the poet and playwright, Adriaan Meppelink (1733–1804). His works, which often explored themes of love and nature, were widely celebrated in Dutch literary circles of the time.
Another influential figure with the Meppelink surname was Johanna Meppelink (1819–1892), a pioneering educator who established several schools for girls in the city of Amsterdam. Her efforts to promote education for women were considered groundbreaking during that era.
In the 20th century, the Meppelink name gained international recognition through the achievements of Cornelis Meppelink (1907–1992), a renowned architect who designed several iconic buildings in the Netherlands, including the Erasmus University Rotterdam and the Utrecht Central Station.
Over the centuries, variations of the Meppelink surname have emerged, including Mepelink, Meppelinck, and Meppelingh. These variations are often found in historical records and can be attributed to regional dialects or spelling preferences of the time.
While the Meppelink surname may not be as widely known as some other Dutch surnames, its rich history and significance in various fields, from literature to architecture, have contributed to the cultural tapestry of the Netherlands and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Meppelink
Among Census respondents with the surname Meppelink, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
The bar chart below shows how Meppelink bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Meppelink surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White100.0%
Timeline
Historical Census data for Meppelink
Meppelink appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#148,347
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+7 bearers (+6.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,336 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #146,011 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #148,347 | 111 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.7%) | Down 2,336 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Meppelink surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20002010
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #146,011 | #148,347 | -1.6% |
| Count | 104 | 111 | 6.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.0% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Meppelink bearers went from 104 to 111 (+6.7% change). The surname moved down 2,336 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,011 to #148,347.
FAQ
Meppelink surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Meppelink?
Name Census estimates that about 137 living Americans carry the surname Meppelink. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,501,856 residents.
How common is Meppelink?
Meppelink ranks #148,347 in the 2010 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2010 Census file counted 111 people with the surname Meppelink. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (137), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Meppelink.
Has Meppelink become more or less common over time?
Between 2000 and 2010, the surname Meppelink went from 104 recorded bearers to 111. That is an increase of 7 (+6.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #146,011 to #148,347.
What does the Census say about the background of Meppelink?
Among Census respondents with the surname Meppelink, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%. These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Meppelink in the 2010 Census, accounting for 100.0%.
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Meppelink appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2010 file are White (100.0%).
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Not necessarily. Meppelink appears here with 2010 Census data, while the latest surname file loaded on Name Census is 2020. When a surname drops below the Census publication threshold, older rows can still be kept for historical reference even if the name no longer appears in the newest file.
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Meppelink mean?
A Dutch surname meaning "small house" or "cottage". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Meppelink (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Meppelink?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people are called Meppelink at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.