2000
#8,766
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,446
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.28
Rare Last name
Rupe
A German occupational surname derived from the Middle High German word "ruop," meaning "shout" or "cry."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,844 Americans carry the last name Rupe. That puts it at #9,320 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.12 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 89,166 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rupe surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
3.8K
1 in 89,166
Census rank
#9,320
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,352 bearers of the surname Rupe in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.12 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9320th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rupe, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.8%) and Hispanic (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rupe
The surname Rupe is believed to have originated in Germany, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the German word "Ruppe," which means "a rocky or stony outcrop." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a topographic identifier, referring to families or individuals who lived near such geological formations.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Rupe can be traced back to the 13th century in various German regions, including Bavaria and Saxony. Some historical records suggest that the name may have been associated with certain occupations or trades that involved working with stone or quarrying materials.
One notable historical figure bearing the surname Rupe was Johann Rupe, a German scholar and theologian who lived in the 15th century (c. 1420-1480). He was known for his contributions to the field of theology and his involvement in the religious reforms of the time.
Another prominent individual with this surname was Hans Rupe, a German architect and engineer who lived in the 16th century (c. 1520-1590). He is credited with designing and overseeing the construction of several notable buildings and structures in various German cities.
In the 17th century, a Dutch explorer named Willem Rupe (c. 1635-1705) gained recognition for his voyages and explorations in the East Indies, which at the time were under Dutch colonial rule.
During the 18th century, a German artist named Friedrich Rupe (c. 1720-1790) gained acclaim for his landscapes and portraits, which were widely appreciated in the artistic circles of the time.
The surname Rupe also has connections to various place names and locations throughout Germany, such as Ruppertshofen, a town in Bavaria, and Ruppertsberg, a municipality in Rhineland-Palatinate. These place names may have influenced or been influenced by the surname itself, reflecting the close ties between family names and geographic areas in historical times.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rupe
Among Census respondents with the surname Rupe, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.8%) and Hispanic (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Rupe bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Rupe surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.0% · 3,050
- Two or more races3.8% · 129
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 109
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 31
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 28
- Black or African American0.1% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rupe
Rupe appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#9,138
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,572
+126 bearers (+3.7%)
Per 100,000 1.21
Rank movement Down 372 places
2020
#9,320
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,352
-220 bearers (-6.2%)
Per 100,000 1.12
Rank movement Down 182 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,766 | 3,446 | 1.28 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,138 | 3,572 | 1.21 | +126 bearers (+3.7%) | Down 372 places |
| 2020 | #9,320 | 3,352 | 1.12 | -220 bearers (-6.2%) | Down 182 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Rupe surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,138 | #9,320 | -2.0% |
| Count | 3,572 | 3,352 | -6.2% |
| Per 100K | 1.21 | 1.12 | -7.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rupe bearers went from 3,572 to 3,352 (-6.2% change). The surname moved down 182 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,138 to #9,320.
FAQ
Rupe surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rupe?
Name Census estimates that about 3,844 living Americans carry the surname Rupe. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 89,166 residents.
How common is Rupe?
Rupe ranks #9,320 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.12 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,352 people with the surname Rupe. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,844), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.12 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.12 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Rupe.
Has Rupe become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rupe went from 3,572 recorded bearers to 3,352. That is a decrease of 220 (-6.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,138 to #9,320.
What does the Census say about the background of Rupe?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rupe, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.8%) and Hispanic (3.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Rupe in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.0% (3,050 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rupe appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.0%), Two or More Races (3.8%), Hispanic (3.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Rupe (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Rupe mean?
A German occupational surname derived from the Middle High German word "ruop," meaning "shout" or "cry." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Rupe (1.12 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Rupe?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.