2010
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Biertzer
A surname derived from an occupational name referring to a brewer or beer maker.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Biertzer. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Biertzer 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
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Biertzer in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Biertzer, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (3.4%) and Hispanic (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Biertzer
The surname Biertzer is believed to have originated in Germany, with its roots tracing back to the late 16th century. It is thought to have derived from the German word "Bierzer," which referred to a person who brewed or sold beer. This connection to the beer industry suggests that the name's earliest bearers may have been involved in the production or trade of this popular beverage.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Biertzer can be found in the town records of Nuremberg, Germany, where a certain Hans Biertzer is mentioned as a resident in 1588. The name also appears in various municipal records across German-speaking regions during the 17th and 18th centuries, indicating its widespread use during this period.
While the Biertzer surname is primarily associated with Germany, it is worth noting that variations of the name have been documented in neighboring countries as well. For instance, the spelling "Bierzer" can be found in records from parts of Austria and Switzerland, suggesting that the name may have spread across borders as people migrated within the region.
In terms of notable individuals bearing the Biertzer surname, one figure stands out: Johann Biertzer (1622-1688), a prominent German theologian and author who served as a professor at the University of Jena. His works on religious philosophy and biblical exegesis were widely read and influential during his lifetime.
Another individual of note is Wilhelm Biertzer (1784-1865), a German architect who designed several notable buildings in the city of Dresden, including the Semperoper, one of the most famous opera houses in Germany.
In the realm of literature, the name Biertzer is associated with Elise Biertzer (1818-1892), a German novelist and short story writer whose works often explored themes of love, family, and societal norms. Her novel "Die Erbin von Rothenfeld" (The Heiress of Rothenfeld) was particularly well-received in its time.
Moving into the 20th century, we find Hans Biertzer (1901-1980), a German politician who served as a member of the Bundestag (the German federal parliament) from 1949 to 1969. He was known for his advocacy of workers' rights and his efforts to promote social welfare policies.
Lastly, in more recent times, the name Biertzer has been associated with Gerhard Biertzer (1945-), a German chemist and academic who has made significant contributions to the field of organic synthesis and has held professorships at various prestigious universities.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Biertzer
Among Census respondents with the surname Biertzer, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (3.4%) and Hispanic (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Biertzer 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 Biertzer surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.1% · 108
- American Indian and Alaska Native3.4% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Biertzer
Biertzer 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
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+14 bearers (+13.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 13,404 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | +14 bearers (+13.7%) | Up 13,404 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 Biertzer 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 | #158,432 | #145,028 | 8.5% |
| Count | 102 | 116 | 13.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 29.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Biertzer bearers went from 102 to 116 (+13.7% change). The surname moved up 13,404 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #145,028.
FAQ
Biertzer surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Biertzer?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Biertzer. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Biertzer?
Biertzer ranks #145,028 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 116 people with the surname Biertzer. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), 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 Biertzer.
Has Biertzer become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Biertzer went from 102 recorded bearers to 116. That is an increase of 14 (+13.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Biertzer?
Among Census respondents with the surname Biertzer, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (3.4%) and Hispanic (1.7%). 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 Biertzer in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.1% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Biertzer appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.1%), American Indian/Alaska Native (3.4%), Hispanic (1.7%). 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 Biertzer (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 Biertzer mean?
A surname derived from an occupational name referring to a brewer or beer maker. 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 Biertzer (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 Biertzer?
Want to know how many people are called Biertzer? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.