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

Ropel, 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 Ropel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ropel in America

Ropel is the 148347th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ropel surname appeared 111 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 Ropel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ropel 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 Ropel

The surname Ropel finds its origins in the northern regions of England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire. The name is believed to have emerged during the late 12th century, with its roots tracing back to the Old English word "rop," which referred to a rope or cord.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Ropel surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, dated 1195, where a certain Richard Ropel is mentioned as a landowner. This indicates that the name was already established in the region by the end of the 12th century.

The name Ropel is thought to have originated as an occupational surname, likely given to individuals involved in the trade of rope-making or those who worked with ropes in various capacities. It is also possible that the name was initially a descriptive one, referring to someone who was associated with ropes or cords in some manner.

In the 13th century, various spellings of the name appeared in historical records, such as Ropel, Ropell, and Ropelle. These variations likely arose due to the inconsistencies in spelling and transcription during that period.

One notable bearer of the Ropel surname was John Ropel, a merchant who resided in York during the late 14th century. His name is mentioned in the city's archives, indicating his involvement in trade and commerce.

Another prominent individual with the Ropel surname was William Ropel, born in 1567 in Lancashire. He was a skilled woodcarver and is renowned for his intricate work on the choir stalls of several churches in the region, including St. Mary's Church in Clitheroe.

In the 17th century, the Ropel family had a presence in the village of Castleton, located in the Peak District of Derbyshire. Thomas Ropel, born in 1632, was a respected landowner and farmer in the area.

The Ropel surname also made its way across the Atlantic during the colonial era. One notable figure was Samuel Ropel, who was born in Yorkshire in 1698 and later emigrated to the American colonies, settling in Virginia in the early 1700s.

Another individual of note was Elizabeth Ropel, born in 1789 in Lancashire. She was a vocal advocate for women's rights and participated in the early suffrage movement in England during the 19th century.

While the surname Ropel is not among the most common in modern times, it has a rich history deeply rooted in the northern regions of England, with a strong connection to the trade and craft of rope-making.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ropel

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!