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

Runels, 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 Runels surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Runels in America

Runels is the 110286th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Runels surname appeared 160 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 Runels.

We can also compare 2010 data for Runels 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 Runels

The surname "Runels" is believed to have originated in the Netherlands during the 12th century. It is derived from the Dutch word "rund," which means cattle, and it is thought to have been an occupational surname initially given to those who worked with cattle, such as herdsmen or ranchers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Dutch census records from the mid-16th century, where a family with the surname "Runnels" was documented residing in the town of Leiden. This spelling variation was likely influenced by the local dialect and pronunciation of the name at the time.

In the late 17th century, a notable figure named Hendrick Runels (1642-1712) was a successful merchant and landowner in the city of Amsterdam. His business dealings and land acquisitions were well-documented in the city's archives, providing insight into the prominence of the Runels family during this period.

As the name spread across Europe, it underwent further spelling variations. In the 18th century, a German branch of the family adopted the spelling "Rühnels," which was documented in the records of the Prussian Army during the Napoleonic Wars. One such soldier, Johann Rühnels (1786-1861), was awarded the Iron Cross for his bravery in battle.

In the 19th century, the name made its way to the United States, where it was often anglicized to "Runels" or "Runnels." One notable American bearing this surname was Hiram Runnels (1796-1857), a politician and military officer who served as the 7th Governor of Mississippi from 1833 to 1835.

Another prominent individual was John Runnels (1818-1891), a lawyer and judge who served as the 6th Governor of Texas from 1857 to 1859. His contributions to the development of the state's legal system and infrastructure were widely recognized during his lifetime.

In the 20th century, the name continued to be found across various regions, with individuals such as Ivor Runels (1909-1991), a British author and historian who wrote extensively on the history of his native Cornwall, and Geraldine Runels (1922-2005), an American artist known for her abstract expressionist paintings.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Runels

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

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

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

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