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

Popiel, 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 Popiel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Popiel in America

Popiel is the 38640th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Popiel surname appeared 572 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 Popiel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Popiel 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 Popiel

The surname POPIEL originates from Poland, dating back to the 10th century. It is derived from the Polish word "popiel," meaning "ashes" or "cinders." This name was likely given to someone who worked with fire or lived near a place associated with ashes, such as a blacksmith or someone residing near a charcoal burning site.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name POPIEL can be found in the Polish Chronicle, also known as the Gallus Anonymus, which dates back to the 12th century. This chronicle mentions a legendary Polish ruler named Popiel, who was said to have been devoured by rats as punishment for his cruelty and disrespect towards the Church.

In the 13th century, a Polish nobleman named Popiel was mentioned in the Liber Beneficiorum, a historical record of land ownership and privileges granted by the Polish Crown. This Popiel held lands in the region of Krakow, indicating that the name was already well-established among the Polish nobility at that time.

During the 15th century, a prominent figure named Jan Popiel served as the Bishop of Poznan, one of the oldest dioceses in Poland. He played a significant role in the political and religious affairs of the country during his time in office.

In the 16th century, a Polish writer and poet named Jakub Popiel gained recognition for his works, which included religious and historical poems. He was born in 1541 and is considered one of the prominent literary figures of the Polish Renaissance.

Another notable individual with the surname POPIEL was Karol Popiel, a Polish military commander who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. He was born in 1784 and served as a general in the Polish Legions, distinguishing himself in battles against the Prussian and Russian forces.

Throughout the centuries, the POPIEL surname has been associated with various prominent individuals in Poland, including artists, scholars, and political figures. While the name has evolved in spelling and pronunciation over time, its origins can be traced back to the early medieval period, reflecting the rich history and cultural heritage of Poland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Popiel

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

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

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

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