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

Propst, 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 Propst surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Propst in America

Propst is the 7057th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Propst surname appeared 4,743 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Propst.

We can also compare 2010 data for Propst 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 Propst

The surname Propst originated in Germany, and its earliest recorded instances can be traced back to the 13th century. The name is derived from the German word "Probst," which means "provost" or "prelate." This title was given to high-ranking church officials who oversaw the governance and administration of religious institutions.

During the Middle Ages, surnames often originated from occupations, and Propst was likely adopted by individuals or families associated with ecclesiastical roles. The name's prevalence initially centered around regions where Germanic dialects were spoken, such as Bavaria, Saxony, and parts of what is now modern-day Austria and Switzerland.

One of the earliest known records of the surname Propst appears in the Deutsches Städtebuch, a compilation of German city records from the late 13th century. The entry mentions a certain "Johannes Propst," a citizen of the city of Nürnberg (Nuremberg) in the year 1287.

In the 15th century, the name Propst gained further recognition through the works of the German Renaissance humanist and scholar, Johannes Reuchlin (1455-1522). Reuchlin, who was born Johannes Propst, played a pivotal role in promoting the study of Greek and Hebrew languages in Europe, laying the foundation for modern philology.

Another notable figure bearing the Propst surname was Johann Propst (1550-1612), a German composer and organist active during the late Renaissance period. His works, including sacred motets and other liturgical pieces, were widely performed and published throughout German-speaking regions.

During the 17th century, the Propst family established a presence in the New World, with some members emigrating to the British colonies in North America. One such individual was Johann Propst (1635-1702), a German-born settler who became one of the earliest recorded residents of Germantown, Pennsylvania, in the late 1600s.

In the 19th century, the name Propst gained further recognition through the literary works of the German writer and poet, Rudolf Propst (1827-1890). Born in Bavaria, Propst's poetry and prose pieces often explored themes of nature, love, and the human condition, reflecting the Romantic movement of the time.

While the surname Propst has its roots in Germany and the Germanic language, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and other regions with significant German immigrant populations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Propst

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

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

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

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