2000
#128,797
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Berlowitz
An ornamental variant of the Germanic surname Berle meaning "bear" or "bear-man."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Berlowitz. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Berlowitz 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Berlowitz in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Berlowitz, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.9%) and Hispanic (4.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Berlowitz
The surname Berlowitz has its origins in Germany, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "Bärlaucht," which refers to a type of wild garlic or ramsons. This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive surname given to someone who lived near or cultivated this particular plant.
The name Berlowitz can be traced back to various regions in Germany, including Bavaria and Saxony. In some historical records, it has been spelled differently, such as "Bärlaucht," "Berlaucht," or "Bärlautsch." These variations highlight the evolving nature of surnames during that time period.
One of the earliest known references to the name Berlowitz can be found in the church records of the town of Freiberg, Saxony, from the late 16th century. These records document the birth and baptism of a child named Hans Berlowitz in 1587.
In the 17th century, the name appears in various legal documents and property records in the city of Nuremberg, Bavaria. One notable bearer of the name was Johann Berlowitz, a merchant and landowner who lived from 1623 to 1698.
As the name spread across different regions of Germany, it also evolved into other forms, such as "Berlowicz" or "Berlovich." These variations were likely influenced by the local dialects and linguistic adaptations.
Another notable individual with this surname was Friedrich Berlowitz, a German philosopher and author who lived from 1785 to 1842. He wrote extensively on metaphysics and the concept of human consciousness.
In the 19th century, the name Berlowitz gained prominence in the field of education. August Berlowitz (1812-1889) was a renowned German educator and linguist, known for his innovative language teaching methods and textbooks.
The name has also been associated with various military figures throughout history. One example is Karl Berlowitz (1893-1975), a German general who served during World War II and later became a prisoner of war.
It is worth noting that the surname Berlowitz has also been found in other parts of Europe, such as Poland and Russia, likely due to migration patterns and cultural exchanges. However, its roots can be traced back to its German origins and the potential connection to the wild garlic plant.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Berlowitz
Among Census respondents with the surname Berlowitz, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.9%) and Hispanic (4.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Berlowitz 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 Berlowitz surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.9% · 94
- Two or more races8.9% · 10
- Hispanic or Latino4.5% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Berlowitz
Berlowitz 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
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-17 bearers (-13.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 26,110 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+7 bearers (+6.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,953 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #128,797 | 122 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | -17 bearers (-13.9%) | Down 26,110 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.7%) | Up 6,953 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 Berlowitz 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 | #154,907 | #147,954 | 4.5% |
| Count | 105 | 112 | 6.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Berlowitz bearers went from 105 to 112 (+6.7% change). The surname moved up 6,953 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #147,954.
FAQ
Berlowitz surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Berlowitz?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Berlowitz. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Berlowitz?
Berlowitz ranks #147,954 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 112 people with the surname Berlowitz. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), 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 Berlowitz.
Has Berlowitz become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Berlowitz went from 105 recorded bearers to 112. That is an increase of 7 (+6.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Berlowitz?
Among Census respondents with the surname Berlowitz, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.9%) and Hispanic (4.5%). 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 Berlowitz in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.9% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Berlowitz appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.9%), Two or More Races (8.9%), Hispanic (4.5%). 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 Berlowitz (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 Berlowitz mean?
An ornamental variant of the Germanic surname Berle meaning "bear" or "bear-man." 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 Berlowitz (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 surname Berlowitz?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.