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

Rinkle, 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 Rinkle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rinkle in America

Rinkle is the 121590th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rinkle surname appeared 142 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 Rinkle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rinkle 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 Rinkle

The surname Rinkle is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from a topographic name referring to a person who lived near a small stream or rivulet, known as a "rinkle" in Old English. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, dating back to 1273, where it appears as "Roger de la Rynkele."

Rinkle is also thought to have connections to the Old English word "rincian," meaning "to wind or meander," further reinforcing its association with small, winding waterways. This linguistic connection suggests that the name may have originally been a descriptive term for someone residing near a meandering stream.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in various historical records, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a certain "Johannes Rynkyll" is mentioned in 1348. This entry indicates the spread of the name beyond its presumed origins in Bedfordshire.

One of the earliest documented individuals bearing this surname was John Rinkle, born in 1412 in the village of Eccleston, Lancashire. He is recorded as a landowner and farmer in the local parish records of that time.

Another notable figure was William Rinkle (1564-1635), a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol during the reign of King James I. He played a significant role in the city's governance and was involved in various trade ventures with continental Europe.

In the 17th century, the Rinkle family had established a presence in the county of Gloucestershire, as evidenced by the birth of Thomas Rinkle in 1627 in the village of Winchcombe. Thomas later became a respected member of the local gentry and served as a magistrate in the region.

During the English Civil War, a certain Captain John Rinkle (1618-1678) fought for the Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell. He is mentioned in several accounts of the Battle of Naseby in 1645, where he displayed valor and leadership on the field.

The surname Rinkle also found its way across the Atlantic Ocean, with one of the earliest recorded instances being that of Sarah Rinkle, who arrived in the American colonies aboard the ship "Patience" in 1685, settling in Pennsylvania.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rinkle

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

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

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

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