2000
#148,244
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Amsdill
A surname possibly derived from a location or an obscure occupational term.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Amsdill. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Amsdill surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Amsdill in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Amsdill, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.7%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Amsdill
The surname Amsdill originates from the northern regions of Germany, particularly the areas around the city of Hamburg. It is believed to have emerged in the 13th century, derived from the Old German word "amd," meaning a harvest or crop, and "dill," referring to the herb dill. This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals involved in the cultivation or trade of this popular herb.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in a 14th-century manuscript from the city of Lübeck, where a merchant named Henrich Amsdill is mentioned as a trader of spices and herbs. This document provides valuable insight into the economic activities and prominence of individuals bearing this surname during that era.
In the 15th century, the name Amsdill appeared in various land records and property deeds in the region around the town of Stade, located in present-day Lower Saxony. These records indicate that the name was well-established among landowners and farmers in the area.
As the years progressed, the name Amsdill began to spread across other parts of Germany and Europe. Notable individuals bearing this surname include Johann Amsdill (1612-1679), a renowned botanist and herbalist from the city of Nuremberg, whose work significantly contributed to the understanding of medicinal plants and their applications.
Another prominent figure was Katharina Amsdill (1745-1823), a celebrated artist from the city of Dresden, known for her exquisite floral paintings and illustrations of various plant species, including the dill herb.
In the 19th century, the Amsdill name gained recognition in the field of horticulture with the work of Friedrich Amsdill (1822-1891), a renowned horticulturist and nurseryman from the town of Erfurt. His innovative techniques and contributions to the cultivation of ornamental plants earned him widespread acclaim.
During the same period, the name was also associated with the literary world through the works of the poet and writer, Elise Amsdill (1838-1912), whose poetic compositions often drew inspiration from nature and the beauty of the German countryside.
While the Amsdill surname may have originated in the northern regions of Germany, it eventually spread to other parts of Europe and beyond, reflecting the movement and migration of people over the centuries. However, its roots can be traced back to the historic regions where the name first emerged, carrying with it the legacy of its agricultural and botanical associations.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Amsdill
Among Census respondents with the surname Amsdill, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.7%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Amsdill bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Amsdill surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.5% · 98
- Hispanic or Latino4.7% · 5
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Amsdill
Amsdill appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+13 bearers (+12.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,103 places
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-9 bearers (-7.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,198 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #148,244 | 102 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+12.7%) | Up 4,103 places |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.8%) | Down 8,198 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Amsdill surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #144,141 | #152,339 | -5.7% |
| Count | 115 | 106 | -7.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Amsdill bearers went from 115 to 106 (-7.8% change). The surname moved down 8,198 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #152,339.
FAQ
Amsdill surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Amsdill?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Amsdill. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Amsdill?
Amsdill ranks #152,339 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 106 people with the surname Amsdill. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Amsdill.
Has Amsdill become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Amsdill went from 115 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 9 (-7.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Amsdill?
Among Census respondents with the surname Amsdill, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.7%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Amsdill in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.5% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Amsdill appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.5%), Hispanic (4.7%), Two or More Races (2.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Amsdill (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Amsdill mean?
A surname possibly derived from a location or an obscure occupational term. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Amsdill (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Amsdill?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.