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

Zaepfel, 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 Zaepfel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zaepfel in America

Zaepfel is the 97671st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zaepfel surname appeared 186 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 Zaepfel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zaepfel 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 Zaepfel

Zaepfel is a surname with roots tracing back to the German-speaking regions of Europe. The name is likely of South German origin, specifically from the areas encompassing modern-day Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. It dates back to at least the medieval period, potentially appearing in records as early as the 13th or 14th centuries. In the context of these regions, it may have originally been spelled as Zaephel or a similar variant due to the regional dialects and orthographic practices of the time.

The surname Zaepfel is believed to derive from the Middle High German word "zapfel," which translates to a small peg or a little stopper. This could be indicative of an occupational origin, possibly referring to someone who crafted or dealt with small wooden pegs, stoppers, or similar items. Alternatively, it could have been a nickname for someone of small stature or for a person sharply distinct in some manner, akin to the pointed nature of a peg.

Historical references to the surname are somewhat sparse but telling. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in a 15th-century Bavarian tax register, where a Hans Zaephel is mentioned as a landowner in the vicinity of Munich around the year 1465. There are also references in ecclesiastical records from the same period, suggesting the family may have had some standing within their community.

The Zaepfel name appears in various documents over the centuries. A registro dating to the early 1600s in Strasburg mentions a Johann Zaepfel, who was a notable figure involved in local trade. By the 1700s, the Zaepfel family is listed in Alsatian church records, indicating that they might have migrated or expanded their presence across the Rhine from Germany into the French-speaking regions of Alsace.

Among the notable bearers of the surname, Franz Zaepfel, born in 1780 near the Black Forest region, stands out. He was known for his work in viticulture and contributed to the development of the wine industry in the region. Another prominent figure was Ludwig Zaepfel, a scholar born in 1832, who authored several treatises on medieval German literature before his death in 1890.

In the 19th century, the spread of the Zaepfel name continued, with records showing that a Wilhelm Zaepfel, born in 1845, emigrated to the United States and was instrumental in establishing German-speaking communities in Wisconsin. His efforts helped preserve the cultural heritage of German immigrants during a time of rapid industrialization in America.

One more individual of historical significance is Anna Zaepfel, born in 1867 in Alsace. She was an early advocate for women’s education and worked tirelessly to improve the literacy rates among young girls in rural communities. Her contributions were recognized posthumously, as she died in 1942 just before the end of World War II, a conflict that drastically changed the European landscape and the dispersion of many families, including those bearing the surname Zaepfel.

Overall, the surname Zaepfel has not only persisted through centuries of sociopolitical change in Europe but has also branificated internationally, maintaining its distinct linguistic and cultural origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zaepfel

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

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

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

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