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

Rommel, 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 Rommel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rommel in America

Rommel is the 17541st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rommel surname appeared 1,604 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 Rommel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rommel 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 Rommel

The surname Rommel is of German origin, with the earliest records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Middle High German word "romel," which means "wild mustard plant" or "rumble." The name may have originated as a descriptive surname for someone who lived near a field of wild mustard plants or a reference to the rumbling sound of wheels or machinery.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rommel can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Anhaltinus, a collection of historical documents from the Principality of Anhalt, dated around 1280. This document mentions a person named "Rumele," which is likely an early spelling variation of Rommel.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various records across Germany, such as the Heidelberg Tax Rolls of 1369, where a "Rommel" is listed as a resident of the city. The name was also present in the Nuremberg Burgher Book of 1397, which recorded the names of citizens in the city of Nuremberg.

During the 15th century, the Rommel name gained prominence with the birth of Jakob Rommel (1435-1495), a German theologian and author who was a prominent figure in the early days of the Protestant Reformation. Another notable individual was Hans Rommel (1490-1543), a German painter and engraver known for his religious works.

In the 18th century, the Rommel surname was associated with the famous German military leader Erwin Rommel (1891-1944), also known as the "Desert Fox." He was a highly decorated officer in the German Army during World War II and is remembered for his brilliant military tactics and strategic leadership in North Africa.

Other notable individuals with the Rommel surname include Johann Rommel (1793-1859), a German painter and lithographer, and Friedrich Rommel (1815-1892), a German politician and lawyer who served as the Mayor of Stuttgart.

While the Rommel name has its origins in Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States and other countries, due to immigration and migration patterns over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rommel

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

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

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

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