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

Opelt, 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 Opelt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Opelt in America

Opelt is the 67943rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Opelt surname appeared 290 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Opelt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Opelt 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 Opelt

The surname Opelt is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony, where it was initially spelled as "Opelt" or "Öpelt."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the parish records of the village of Kirchenlamitz in Upper Franconia, Bavaria, where a certain Hans Opelt was mentioned in 1582. Another early reference is from the town of Zwickau in Saxony, where a Johannes Opelt was listed in the town's tax records in 1608.

The name Opelt is thought to be derived from the Old German word "opel," which referred to a type of fruit tree, possibly an apple or pear tree. This connection suggests that the surname may have initially been an occupational name given to those who cultivated or traded in these fruits.

In the 17th century, the name appears to have spread beyond its original regions, with records showing Opelts in various parts of Germany, such as Hesse and Thuringia. One notable figure from this period was Christoph Opelt (1612-1683), a Lutheran theologian and author from Saxony.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Opelt name continued to be found across Germany, with several individuals achieving recognition in various fields. Johann Gottfried Opelt (1735-1812) was a renowned composer and organist from Saxony, while Karl Opelt (1811-1878) was a respected botanist and author from Silesia.

Another notable figure was August Opelt (1846-1924), a German-born architect who emigrated to the United States in the late 19th century and designed several prominent buildings in Chicago, including the Marquette Building and the former Pullman Office Building.

In the 20th century, the Opelt name continued to be carried by individuals in various professions, such as Hans Opelt (1903-1987), a German entrepreneur and industrialist who founded the Opelt Group, a successful manufacturing company.

While the name has spread globally due to immigration, its roots can be traced back to the historic regions of Bavaria and Saxony, where it likely originated as an occupational surname related to fruit cultivation or trade.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Opelt

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

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

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

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