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

Rappel, 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 Rappel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rappel in America

Rappel is the 105079th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rappel surname appeared 170 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 Rappel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rappel 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 Rappel

The surname RAPPEL is believed to originate from France, specifically the northern regions near the border with Belgium, around the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "rappeler," meaning to call or summon.

In its earliest forms, the name was often spelled as "Rappelle" or "Rapelle," indicating its connection to the verb "rappeler." One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a landowner named Radulfus Rappel is mentioned as holding property in Normandy.

During the Middle Ages, the RAPPEL surname began to spread across northern France and into the Low Countries. It is believed that some individuals bearing this name may have been town criers or messengers, whose job was to call out announcements or summon people to gatherings.

One notable figure with the RAPPEL surname was Jean Rappel, a merchant and burgher from Arras, France, who lived in the late 14th century. He is mentioned in records from the time as being involved in trade disputes with neighboring towns.

In the 16th century, a branch of the RAPPEL family settled in the town of Rappelstein, in the Alsace region of France. This place name, which means "Rappel's stone" in German, likely derived from the family's presence in the area.

Another historically significant individual was Pierre Rappel, a French soldier who fought in the Wars of Religion during the late 16th century. He is recorded as having served under King Henry IV and participating in the Battle of Ivry in 1590.

Moving into the 17th century, a notable figure was Jacques Rappel, a lawyer and judge from Paris, who served in the Parlement of Paris from 1612 to 1638. He is known for his contributions to the legal system and his writings on civil law.

In the 19th century, a prominent person with the RAPPEL surname was Édouard Rappel, a French artist and painter who was born in 1828 and died in 1901. He is particularly known for his landscapes and scenes of rural life in France.

Throughout history, the RAPPEL surname has maintained a presence in various regions of France, as well as in neighboring countries like Belgium and Switzerland, where French-speaking communities have existed.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rappel

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

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

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

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