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

Prall, 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 Prall surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Prall in America

Prall is the 17176th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Prall surname appeared 1,649 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 Prall.

We can also compare 2010 data for Prall 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 Prall

The surname Prall is believed to have originated in Germany, with its roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is thought to be a variation of the German word "prall," which means "plump" or "round." This suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon someone with a stout or robust physique.

In the early centuries of its existence, the name was likely spelled in various ways, such as Pral, Prael, or Praell, reflecting the variations in regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time. While the exact origins of the name are uncertain, it is possible that it was derived from a nickname or a physical description used to identify an individual.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Prall surname can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the Margraviate of Brandenburg, dated around the 13th century. This document mentions a person named "Conradus dictus Pral," suggesting that the name was in use during this period.

In the 16th century, the Prall surname appears in various records from different regions of Germany, including the Palatinate, Saxony, and Bavaria. For example, a man named Hans Prall was born in Heidelberg, in the Palatinate region, around 1520.

As the name spread across Germany and into neighboring regions, it also evolved into different spellings and variations. In the Netherlands, for instance, the surname took the form of "Prael," while in some areas of Switzerland, it was written as "Pral."

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Prall surname. One such figure was Johann Prall (1651-1719), a German composer and organist who served as the Kapellmeister (music director) at the court of the Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach. Another notable Prall was Friedrich Prall (1769-1839), a German painter and engraver known for his landscapes and portraits.

In the 19th century, the Prall name gained prominence in the United States, particularly in the state of New York. One of the earliest recorded instances was Jacob Prall (1796-1882), a farmer and landowner in Staten Island, New York. Another notable American with the Prall surname was Charles Prall (1841-1918), a businessman and banker from Brooklyn, New York.

The Prall surname also appears in various historical records from other parts of the world, suggesting that it may have been carried by German immigrants and their descendants to different regions. For example, there are records of individuals with the Prall surname in South Africa, Australia, and Canada, among other countries.

Overall, the surname Prall has a rich and diverse history, with its origins rooted in the German language and culture. While its exact beginnings may be shrouded in uncertainty, the name has persisted through the centuries, adapting and spreading to various parts of the world, carried by the descendants of its original bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Prall

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

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

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

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