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

Topal, 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 Topal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Topal in America

Topal is the 89069th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Topal surname appeared 208 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 Topal.

We can also compare 2010 data for Topal 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 Topal

The surname Topal originated from Turkey, with the earliest known references dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Turkish word "topal," which means "lame" or "limping." This name was likely given as a descriptive nickname to someone who had a physical disability or walked with a limp.

In the Ottoman Empire, surnames were not commonly used until the early 20th century. However, some families adopted surnames earlier, and Topal was one such name. It appeared in various historical records and manuscripts from the Ottoman era, indicating its presence among the population.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Topal was Hacı Topal Hüseyin Pasha, an Ottoman statesman and military commander who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He served as the Governor of Bosnia and played a significant role in the Ottoman-Habsburg Wars.

Another notable figure was Topal Osman Pasha, an Ottoman general and Grand Vizier who lived in the late 17th century. He was known for his military campaigns against the Holy Roman Empire and his role in the Ottoman-Venetian War.

In the 18th century, Topal Mustafa Pasha was a prominent Ottoman military leader and statesman. He served as the Governor of Baghdad and played a crucial role in suppressing revolts against Ottoman rule in the region.

During the 19th century, Topal Şükrü Pasha was a distinguished Ottoman statesman and diplomat. He held various positions, including the Governor of Crete and the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Another individual of note was Topal Recep Pasha, an Ottoman military leader and statesman who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He served as the Governor of Tripoli and played a significant role in the Ottoman-Algerian War.

The surname Topal continued to be used among Turkish families and has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. While the name may have originated as a descriptive nickname, it has become a respected surname with a rich historical background.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Topal

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

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

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

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