I have a class about the folklore of the Slavic Vampire at Florida State University, and in our reading for today we came across Vlad Tepes/Voivode Dracula, whom the author claims as inspiration for Dracula. However, he does not claim he is Vlad the Impaler. Yet, whenever I google both of those names, the first result is the Vlad the Impaler wikipedia page. Are they different names for the same person? Thanks!
I wrote a somewhat lengthy comment about Vlad III and his connection to the vampire myth and Stoker's Dracula a while back. If you're interested, check it out here.
The historical character that inspired Dracula is indeed Vlad Tepes, a Voivoide and Prince of Wallachia of the dynasty of the Besarab. However be careful, Vlad the Impaler is Vlad the Third ( Vlad III ) so there are two other Vlad prior to him and at least one that I know of who will succeed him as Vlad IV.
THe Impaler's own father was Vlad II, also known as Vlad the Dragon.
So yes Vlad Tepes is Vlad the Impaler and if I am not wrong Tepes does actually mean Impaler in Romanian.
Source : most of it comes from my general knowledge. Ray Porter who wrote in 1992 The Historical Dracula seem to be a reference in English for the subject, a simple google search should direct you to some of his work.