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

Arlt, 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 Arlt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Arlt in America

Arlt is the 28465th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Arlt surname appeared 838 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 Arlt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Arlt 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 Arlt

The surname ARLT is of German origin, originating in the medieval period around the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "arl," which means "eagle." This suggests that the name may have originally been a nickname for someone who had a keen eye or sharp vision, resembling the piercing sight of an eagle.

The ARLT surname is predominantly found in regions of Germany, particularly in the southern states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the town records of Nuremberg from the year 1287, where a certain Hans Arlt is mentioned as a resident.

During the 16th century, the ARLT surname appears in various historical documents, including tax records and legal proceedings in the city of Augsburg. A notable mention is that of a merchant named Jakob ARLT, who was involved in a trade dispute with a guild in 1542.

As the ARLT family expanded and migrated, the name also found its way into neighboring countries like Austria and Switzerland. In the 18th century, a Peter ARLT from the village of Arltal in Bavaria is recorded as having settled in the Swiss canton of Zurich.

Throughout history, several individuals with the ARLT surname have achieved notable recognition. One such figure was Johann Christoph ARLT (1733-1811), a German composer and organist who served as the Kapellmeister (music director) at the court of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.

Another prominent individual was Karl ARLT (1812-1888), a German physician and ophthalmologist who made significant contributions to the field of eye surgery and the treatment of eye diseases. He is credited with developing innovative surgical techniques and authored several influential works on ophthalmology.

In the realm of literature, Max ARLT (1901-1975) was a German writer and poet known for his expressionist works and his involvement in the avant-garde literary movement of the early 20th century.

Additionally, Gerhard ARLT (1923-2004) was a German actor and theater director who had a prolific career spanning over six decades, performing on stage, in films, and television productions.

Lastly, Durs ARLT (born 1936) is a Swiss artist and sculptor renowned for his abstract and minimalist works, often incorporating industrial materials like steel and concrete into his sculptures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Arlt

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

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

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

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