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

Rupert, 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 Rupert surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rupert in America

Rupert is the 4474th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rupert surname appeared 7,936 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Rupert.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rupert 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 Rupert

The surname Rupert originated in Germany, specifically in the areas of Bavaria and Austria. It is derived from the Germanic elements "hrod" meaning fame or glory, and "berht" meaning bright. The name first appeared in records dating back to the 8th century AD.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Rupert can be found in the Codex Traditionum of the monastery of Regensburg in Bavaria, where a landowner named Ruopreht is mentioned in a document from the year 819. The name also appears in the Codex Falkensteinensis, a manuscript from the 12th century, which lists a knight named Rupertus de Falkenstein.

The surname Rupert is closely associated with several notable historical figures. One of the most famous was Saint Rupert, also known as Rupert of Salzburg (c. 660 – 710), who is credited with establishing Christianity in Bavaria and Austria. He founded the Benedictine monastery of St. Peter in Salzburg, which became a center of learning and culture during the Middle Ages.

Another prominent individual with the surname Rupert was Prince Rupert of the Rhine (1619 – 1682), a German nobleman and military leader who fought for the Royalist cause during the English Civil War. He is known for his daring cavalry charges and his involvement in the formation of the Hudson's Bay Company.

In the 13th century, a family named Rupert held significant influence in the region of Alsace, France. One member, Johannes Rupert (c. 1250 – 1322), served as the Mayor of Strasbourg and played a crucial role in the city's political and economic affairs.

During the Renaissance period, a German artist and printmaker named Christoph Rupert (c. 1550 – 1614) achieved renown for his intricate engravings and etchings, which depicted religious and mythological scenes.

The surname Rupert has also been associated with various place names throughout Europe, such as Ruppertsburg in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, and Ruppertshofen in Lower Austria.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rupert

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

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

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

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