2000
#3,281
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,017
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.71
Uncommon Last name
Betz
A surname of German origin, derived from the word "betz," meaning "bear" or "strong as a bear."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 11,061 Americans carry the last name Betz. That puts it at #3,598 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.23 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 30,988 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Betz 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
11K
1 in 30,988
Census rank
#3,598
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
9.6K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 9,646 bearers of the surname Betz in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.23 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3598th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Betz, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Betz
The surname BETZ originated in the region of Bavaria, Germany in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old German word "betz" which meant "brisk" or "lively". The name likely referred to someone with a quick or lively nature.
In the early 13th century, the name appeared in records from the town of Nuremberg, with a Heinricus Betz mentioned in a manuscript from 1237. The spelling has evolved slightly over the centuries, with variations like Betz, Betze, and Betzius appearing in different regions.
One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Johannes Betz, a prominent merchant from Augsburg who lived from 1435 to 1501. He was involved in the textile trade and is mentioned in several historical documents from the time.
The name BETZ can also be traced back to the village of Betzingen in the state of Baden-Württemberg, which likely took its name from an early settler with the surname. This village was first mentioned in records dating back to 1275.
In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the name was Joachim Betz, a German theologian and reformer who lived from 1520 to 1587. He was a follower of Martin Luther and played a role in the spread of Protestantism in Germany.
Another prominent individual with the surname BETZ was Johann Betz, a German botanist who lived from 1661 to 1719. He made significant contributions to the study of plant life and is credited with discovering several new species of plants.
During the 17th century, the name BETZ also appeared in records from the town of Bamberg, where a family of weavers and textile merchants bore the surname. One member of this family, Hans Betz, was a respected master weaver who lived from 1632 to 1698.
As the name spread throughout Germany and neighboring regions, it was also adopted by individuals who may not have been directly related to the original bearers. However, the surname maintained its strong roots in Bavaria and the surrounding areas.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Betz
Among Census respondents with the surname Betz, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Betz 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 Betz surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.5% · 8,828
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 332
- Two or more races2.9% · 277
- Black or African American1.3% · 123
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 58
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 28
Timeline
Historical Census data for Betz
Betz 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
#3,527
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,120
+103 bearers (+1.0%)
Per 100,000 3.43
Rank movement Down 246 places
2020
#3,598
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,646
-474 bearers (-4.7%)
Per 100,000 3.23
Rank movement Down 71 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,281 | 10,017 | 3.71 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,527 | 10,120 | 3.43 | +103 bearers (+1.0%) | Down 246 places |
| 2020 | #3,598 | 9,646 | 3.23 | -474 bearers (-4.7%) | Down 71 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 Betz 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 | #3,527 | #3,598 | -2.0% |
| Count | 10,120 | 9,646 | -4.7% |
| Per 100K | 3.43 | 3.23 | -5.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Betz bearers went from 10,120 to 9,646 (-4.7% change). The surname moved down 71 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,527 to #3,598.
FAQ
Betz surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Betz?
Name Census estimates that about 11,061 living Americans carry the surname Betz. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 30,988 residents.
How common is Betz?
Betz ranks #3,598 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.23 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 9,646 people with the surname Betz. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (11,061), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.23 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.23 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Betz.
Has Betz become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Betz went from 10,120 recorded bearers to 9,646. That is a decrease of 474 (-4.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,527 to #3,598.
What does the Census say about the background of Betz?
Among Census respondents with the surname Betz, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.9%). 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 Betz in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.5% (8,828 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Betz appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.5%), Hispanic (3.4%), Two or More Races (2.9%). 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 Betz (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 Betz mean?
A surname of German origin, derived from the word "betz," meaning "bear" or "strong as a bear." 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 Betz (3.23 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 Betz?
If you just want to know how many people have the surname Betz, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.