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

Abt, 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 Abt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Abt in America

Abt is the 19469th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Abt surname appeared 1,388 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 Abt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Abt 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 Abt

The surname ABT originated in the Germanic regions of central Europe, with records dating back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old High German word 'abt,' meaning 'abbot' or 'father,' suggesting a connection to monastic or ecclesiastical origins.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of medieval charters and documents from the Abbey of Fulda in present-day Germany, dating back to the 8th century. The name is also mentioned in the Traditiones Fuldenses, a record of land transfers and donations made to the same abbey.

During the High Middle Ages, the surname ABT appeared in various regions of the Holy Roman Empire, including present-day Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Notable individuals bearing this name from this period include Eberhard Abt, a monk and chronicler from the Benedictine Abbey of St. Gall, who lived in the 12th century.

As the name spread across Europe, it evolved into different spellings and variations, such as Abt, Abbt, and Abbat. In England, the name is sometimes found as Abbott, reflecting the Norman-French influence on the English language after the Norman Conquest.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname ABT in England was William Abt, a landowner mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1199. Another notable figure was Sir Maurice Abt, a knight who fought in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 during the Hundred Years' War.

In the 16th century, the surname gained prominence in the German-speaking regions, with several notable individuals bearing the name. Johann Abt, a German theologian and reformer who lived from 1499 to 1558, played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation.

As the surname spread across Europe, it also found its way to other parts of the world through migration and colonization. In the 17th century, Hans Abt, a Swiss-born settler, was among the early pioneers who established the German community in Pennsylvania, United States.

Other notable individuals with the surname ABT include Johann Abt, a German composer and violinist who lived from 1737 to 1797, and Franz Abt, a German composer and choral conductor who lived from 1819 to 1885, known for his contributions to the development of German choral music.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Abt

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

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

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

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