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

Runkles, 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 Runkles surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Runkles in America

Runkles is the 47614th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Runkles surname appeared 445 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 Runkles.

We can also compare 2010 data for Runkles 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 Runkles

The surname Runkles is believed to have originated in Germany, with its earliest known records dating back to the 16th century. This name is thought to be derived from the German word "runkel," which means a round or bulbous root vegetable, similar to a turnip or rutabaga.

One of the earliest documented references to the Runkles name can be found in the records of the town of Braunschweig, located in Lower Saxony, Germany. In 1539, a man named Hans Runkles was listed as a landowner and farmer in the village of Riddagshausen, near Braunschweig.

As the name spread throughout Germany, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Runkel, Runckel, and Runkele. These variations likely stemmed from regional dialects and the phonetic interpretations of scribes and record-keepers.

In the 17th century, the Runkles name made its way to the Netherlands, where it was recorded in the city of Amsterdam. One notable bearer of this surname was Pieter Runkles, a merchant and ship owner who lived from 1625 to 1692.

As Runkles families migrated across Europe, the name also found its way to England and Scotland. One of the earliest recorded instances of the Runkles name in Britain dates back to 1698, when a man named William Runkles was listed in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Nottingham, England.

Another notable individual bearing the Runkles surname was Johann Runkles, a German philosopher and mathematician who lived from 1737 to 1805. He made significant contributions to the field of analytic geometry and is known for developing the concept of "Runkles' line," a geometric construction used in the study of conic sections.

In the 19th century, the Runkles name began to appear in North America, as families from Germany and the Netherlands immigrated to the United States and Canada. One of the earliest recorded instances of the Runkles surname in the United States was in 1822, when a man named Jacob Runkles settled in Pennsylvania.

Throughout history, the Runkles name has been associated with various occupations, including farming, merchant trade, and academic pursuits. While not a widely prevalent surname, it has left its mark across several regions and cultures, reflecting the migration patterns and historical influences that have shaped its journey over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Runkles

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

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

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

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