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

Bechtolt, 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 Bechtolt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bechtolt in America

Bechtolt is the 130610th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bechtolt surname appeared 130 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 Bechtolt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bechtolt 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 Bechtolt

The surname Bechtolt originated in Germany during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Germanic personal name Berhtwalt, which means "bright ruler" or "bright power." The name was most commonly found in southern and central Germany, particularly in the regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bechtolt can be found in the Codex Traditionum Monasterii Sancti Galli, a medieval manuscript from the 9th century. The manuscript mentions a person named Berhtwalt who owned land in the area around the monastery of St. Gallen.

In the 12th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Berchtold, Berthold, and Pertolt, in various historical documents from the Holy Roman Empire. One notable bearer of the name was Berthold von Reichenau (1008-1088), a Benedictine monk and scholar who was known for his works on astronomy and mathematics.

During the 13th century, the name Bechtolt became more widespread in Germany, with several prominent individuals bearing the name. One of them was Berthold von Regensburg (c. 1220-1272), a Franciscan friar and renowned preacher who traveled extensively throughout Germany and Austria.

In the 14th century, the name Bechtolt was associated with several noble families in Germany, such as the Bechtolts of Nuremberg and the Bechtolts of Augsburg. One notable figure from this period was Johann Bechtolt (c. 1320-1390), a merchant and banker from Nuremberg who played a significant role in the economic affairs of the city.

Another important figure with the surname Bechtolt was Bernhard Bechtolt (1549-1617), a German astronomer and mathematician who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics. He was born in Würzburg and worked as a professor at the University of Tübingen.

Over the centuries, the name Bechtolt has evolved into various spellings, such as Bechtold, Bechtel, and Bechteler, due to regional variations and linguistic changes. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remain rooted in its Germanic heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bechtolt

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

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

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

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