2000
#143,847
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Rappl
A German surname derived from rappler, meaning a maker of ropes or cords.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Rappl. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rappl surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Rappl in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rappl, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rappl
The surname Rappl is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the late 15th century in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in Bavaria and Austria. It is believed to be derived from the German word "Rappel," which referred to a small village or settlement, suggesting that the name may have originated as a place name.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rappl can be found in the archives of the city of Munich, where a certain Hans Rappl is mentioned in a legal document dated 1497. This document pertains to a land dispute, providing evidence of the Rappl family's presence in the region during that time.
In the 16th century, the name Rappl appeared in various ecclesiastical records, indicating that members of the family held positions within the church. For instance, a Benedictine monk named Johann Rappl was recorded as serving in the abbey of Tegernsee in Bavaria in the year 1542.
During the 17th century, the Rappl surname gained prominence in the region of Salzburg, Austria. Notable individuals from this period include the composer and organist Johann Baptist Rappl (1639-1714), who served as the court organist for the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg and was highly regarded for his sacred music compositions.
In the 18th century, the Rappl name spread further across southern Germany and Austria. One notable figure was the writer and philosopher Jakob Rappl (1745-1819), born in the town of Aichach, Bavaria. His works explored philosophical concepts and the nature of human existence, garnering him recognition among intellectual circles of the time.
As the 19th century dawned, the Rappl surname continued to be represented in various fields. A prominent example is the Austrian painter and engraver Franz Rappl (1812-1887), whose works captured the landscapes and architectural marvels of his homeland, earning him critical acclaim and commissions from influential patrons.
Throughout its history, the surname Rappl has maintained a strong presence in the regions of southern Germany and Austria, with individuals bearing this name making notable contributions across various disciplines, from music and literature to the visual arts.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rappl
Among Census respondents with the surname Rappl, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Rappl bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Rappl surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.0% · 99
- Hispanic or Latino4.5% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.7% · 3
- Two or more races2.7% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rappl
Rappl appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-3 bearers (-2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 13,387 places
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+7 bearers (+6.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 7,788 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #143,847 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | -3 bearers (-2.8%) | Down 13,387 places |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.8%) | Up 7,788 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Rappl surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #157,234 | #149,446 | 5.0% |
| Count | 103 | 110 | 6.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 22.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rappl bearers went from 103 to 110 (+6.8% change). The surname moved up 7,788 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #149,446.
FAQ
Rappl surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rappl?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Rappl. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Rappl?
Rappl ranks #149,446 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 110 people with the surname Rappl. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Rappl.
Has Rappl become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rappl went from 103 recorded bearers to 110. That is an increase of 7 (+6.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Rappl?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rappl, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Rappl in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.0% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rappl appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.0%), Hispanic (4.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Rappl (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Rappl mean?
A German surname derived from rappler, meaning a maker of ropes or cords. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Rappl (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Rappl?
See how many people are called Rappl on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.