2000
#130,443
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bieth
A surname denoting someone who lived near a patch of birch trees.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Bieth. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bieth 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
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Bieth in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bieth, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.6%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bieth
The surname Bieth originates from Germany, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old German word "bið," meaning "to wait" or "to endure." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who exhibited patience or perseverance.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bieth can be found in the Kirchenbücher (church records) of the town of Essen, located in the Ruhr region of Germany. These records date back to the late 1500s and document the births, marriages, and deaths of the local population.
In the 17th century, the Bieth surname appeared in various historical documents across Germany, including tax records and land deeds. One notable example is Johann Bieth, a merchant born in 1642 in the city of Cologne, who was involved in trade with the Netherlands and the Holy Roman Empire.
As the Bieth family dispersed throughout Germany and beyond, variations in the spelling of the name emerged. These included Biet, Biett, and Byeth, among others. Some of these variations may have been influenced by regional dialects or scribal errors in record-keeping.
In the late 18th century, the name Bieth gained prominence with Friedrich Bieth, a renowned philosopher and theologian born in 1763 in the town of Göttingen. His works on ethics and moral philosophy were widely studied and discussed in academic circles throughout Europe.
Another notable figure bearing the Bieth surname was Karl Bieth, a German painter and engraver born in 1815 in the city of Berlin. He was known for his intricate etchings and landscapes, many of which depicted scenes from his native Prussia.
During the 19th century, the Bieth family also established roots in other parts of Europe, including the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. One such individual was Willem Bieth, a Dutch businessman born in 1832 in Amsterdam, who made his fortune in the textile trade.
As the 20th century dawned, the Bieth name continued to be found across various professions and disciplines. One example is Hans Bieth, a German architect born in 1905 in Munich, who was responsible for designing several notable buildings in his hometown, including the Bieth Haus, a residential complex that still stands today.
Overall, the surname Bieth has a rich history spanning several centuries and countries, with its origins rooted in the German language and culture. Despite its relatively uncommon nature, the name has been borne by individuals who have made significant contributions in fields ranging from philosophy and art to business and architecture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bieth
Among Census respondents with the surname Bieth, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.6%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Bieth 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 Bieth surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.6% · 95
- Hispanic or Latino6.6% · 7
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bieth
Bieth 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
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-12 bearers (-10.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 21,089 places
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-2 bearers (-1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 807 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #130,443 | 120 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | -12 bearers (-10.0%) | Down 21,089 places |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.9%) | Down 807 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 Bieth 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 | #151,532 | #152,339 | -0.5% |
| Count | 108 | 106 | -1.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bieth bearers went from 108 to 106 (-1.9% change). The surname moved down 807 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #152,339.
FAQ
Bieth surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bieth?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Bieth. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Bieth?
Bieth ranks #152,339 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 106 people with the surname Bieth. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), 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 Bieth.
Has Bieth become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bieth went from 108 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #151,532 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Bieth?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bieth, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.6%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Bieth in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.6% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bieth appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.6%), Hispanic (6.6%), Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Bieth (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 Bieth mean?
A surname denoting someone who lived near a patch of birch trees. 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 Bieth (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 Bieth?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.