2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Baerlocher
A surname derived from a place name referring to someone from Baerlocher, a location in Switzerland.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Baerlocher. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Baerlocher 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Baerlocher in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Baerlocher, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Baerlocher
The surname Baerlocher is of German origin, with its roots dating back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the region of Bavaria, Germany, where it was likely derived from a occupational surname or a place name.
One possible derivation is from the German word "Bär," meaning "bear," and "locher," meaning "hole" or "pit." This could suggest an association with a person who worked with bears, such as a bear hunter or a bear keeper. Alternatively, it may have been a topographic surname, referring to a person who lived near a bear's den or a pit.
Another potential origin is from a place name, such as Bärenloch or Bärloch, which can be translated as "bear's hole" or "bear's pit." These place names were common in German-speaking regions, and surnames were often derived from the names of towns or villages where people lived or were born.
In the 14th century, records show the name Baerlocher appearing in various forms, such as Bärlöcher, Bärlocher, and Bärloher. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Heidelberg Manuscript, a 14th-century document that recorded land transactions and legal proceedings in the region.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Baerlocher. One such person was Hans Baerlocher (1500-1573), a Swiss painter and sculptor who was renowned for his religious artwork commissioned by churches and monasteries in the region.
Another notable figure was Johann Baerlocher (1680-1745), a German composer and organist who worked in the courts of various German princes and dukes. His compositions, particularly his organ pieces, were highly regarded during his lifetime.
In the 19th century, Wilhelm Baerlocher (1815-1892) was a prominent German architect who designed several notable buildings in Munich and other Bavarian cities. His work was heavily influenced by the Neo-Gothic and Neo-Renaissance architectural styles popular during that era.
A more recent figure was Erich Baerlocher (1888-1965), a Swiss engineer and inventor who held numerous patents related to textile machinery and manufacturing processes. His innovations contributed significantly to the efficiency and productivity of the textile industry in Switzerland and beyond.
Lastly, Gabrielle Baerlocher (1916-2003) was a Swiss artist and sculptor known for her abstract and figurative works in various media, including bronze, stone, and wood. Her sculptures can be found in public spaces and private collections throughout Switzerland and Europe.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Baerlocher
Among Census respondents with the surname Baerlocher, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Baerlocher 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 Baerlocher surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.1% · 112
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 3
- Two or more races2.5% · 3
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Baerlocher
Baerlocher appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+15 bearers (+14.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 13,256 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +15 bearers (+14.4%) | Up 13,256 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 Baerlocher 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 | #156,044 | #142,788 | 8.5% |
| Count | 104 | 119 | 14.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Baerlocher bearers went from 104 to 119 (+14.4% change). The surname moved up 13,256 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #142,788.
FAQ
Baerlocher surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Baerlocher?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Baerlocher. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Baerlocher?
Baerlocher ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Baerlocher. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Baerlocher.
Has Baerlocher become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Baerlocher went from 104 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 15 (+14.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Baerlocher?
Among Census respondents with the surname Baerlocher, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Baerlocher in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.1% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Baerlocher appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.1%), Hispanic (2.5%), Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Baerlocher (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 Baerlocher mean?
A surname derived from a place name referring to someone from Baerlocher, a location in Switzerland. 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 Baerlocher (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 have the last name Baerlocher?
See how many people have the last name Baerlocher on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.