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

Altizer, 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 Altizer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Altizer in America

Altizer is the 12276th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Altizer surname appeared 2,533 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Altizer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Altizer 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 Altizer

The surname Altizer originated in Germany, with its earliest known records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "alt," meaning "old," and the suffix "-zer," which was commonly used in occupational surnames, suggesting that the name may have referred to an elder or someone who worked with older individuals.

One of the earliest known mentions of the Altizer name can be found in a German church record from the early 1600s, where a family with the surname Altitzer was recorded in the town of Mühlhausen, located in the present-day state of Thuringia, Germany. This variation in spelling was not uncommon during that time period, as standardized spellings were not yet widely adopted.

In the late 17th century, records show that a family bearing the Altizer surname had settled in the Palatinate region of Germany, which was then a territory of the Holy Roman Empire. This area experienced significant religious persecution and economic hardship, leading many families, including the Altizers, to seek new opportunities in the British colonies of North America.

One of the earliest known Altizers to arrive in the American colonies was Johann Altizer, who immigrated to Pennsylvania in the early 1700s. He and his family were among the many Germans who settled in the region, contributing to the rich cultural diversity of the area.

In the 19th century, the Altizer surname began to appear in various historical records across the United States. Notable individuals with this surname include:

1. John William Altizer (1838-1917), a Union Army soldier during the American Civil War, who later became a prominent farmer and community leader in West Virginia.

2. Emma Altizer (1855-1930), an American educator and author, who wrote several books on teaching methods and early childhood education.

3. Theodore Charles Altizer (1927-2018), an influential American theologian and philosopher, known for his controversial "death of God" theology.

4. Laura Altizer (born 1976), an American artist and sculptor, whose works have been exhibited in galleries across the United States and internationally.

5. Michael Altizer (born 1962), an American businessman and entrepreneur, who founded several successful technology companies in Silicon Valley.

While the Altizer surname may have its origins in Germany, it has become a part of the diverse tapestry of names found in various countries around the world, reflecting the migration patterns and cultural exchanges that have shaped our global society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Altizer

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

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

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

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