Popplewell last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Popplewell

A habitational surname derived from a location name in England, likely referring to someone from a spring or well near a poplar tree.

Popplewell, 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 Popplewell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Popplewell in America

Popplewell is the 23167th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Popplewell surname appeared 1,101 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 Popplewell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Popplewell 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 23167 24162 -4.20%
Count 1,101 973 12.34%
Proportion per 100k 0.37 0.36 2.74%

The history of the last name Popplewell

The surname Popplewell is of English origin, originating in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire in the northern regions of England. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "popel" meaning "people" or "folk" and "wella" or "well," referring to a water source or spring that served the local community. Thus, the name suggests a connection to a well or spring frequented by the local populace.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Popplewell can be found in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Yorkshire from the late 17th century, where several variations of the spelling, such as Popplewhell and Popplwell, were documented. This indicates that the name had already established itself in the region by that time.

The Popplewell family is mentioned in various historical records, including the Domesday Book of 1086, where the name is recorded as "Popelwelle" in reference to a settlement near the town of Barnsley in South Yorkshire. This entry suggests that the surname may have originated from a place name associated with a notable well or spring in that area.

In the 13th century, a John de Popplewell was documented as holding land in the village of Ecclesfield, near Sheffield, further solidifying the presence of the Popplewell family in Yorkshire. Another notable individual was Richard Popplewell, born in 1585 in Askwith, Yorkshire, who served as a clergyman and authored several religious texts during his lifetime.

Moving into the 18th century, the Popplewell name gained prominence with the birth of Joseph Popplewell (1737-1805), a renowned English architect and surveyor who designed numerous buildings in Yorkshire, including the iconic Rotherham Town Hall. His son, William Popplewell (1771-1846), followed in his footsteps and became a prominent architect in his own right.

Throughout the 19th century, several members of the Popplewell family made significant contributions to various fields. John Popplewell (1808-1870), born in Sheffield, was a successful industrialist and businessman who played a pivotal role in the development of the steel industry in the region. Additionally, Thomas Popplewell (1833-1898), born in Doncaster, gained recognition as a talented landscape painter, with his works being exhibited at the Royal Academy.

As the Popplewell family dispersed across England and beyond, the surname continued to be represented by notable individuals. One such person was Arthur Popplewell (1866-1943), a distinguished English cricketer who played for Yorkshire and England in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, earning recognition for his exceptional batting prowess.

The surname Popplewell has a rich history deeply rooted in the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire and Lancashire. Its origins can be traced back to Old English words related to wells or springs that served local communities, reflecting the importance of these natural resources in the region's history and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Popplewell

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

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 Popplewell was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 91.92% 1,012
Non-Hispanic Black Only 3.91% 43
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.54% 17
Hispanic Origin 1.73% 19

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 Popplewell has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 91.92% 93.42% -1.62%
Black 3.91% 2.77% 34.13%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 1.54% 2.36% -42.05%
Hispanic 1.73% 0.72% 82.45%

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

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

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"Popplewell last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/popplewell-surname-popularity/.

"Popplewell last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/popplewell-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Popplewell last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/popplewell-surname-popularity/.

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