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

Bitzer, 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 Bitzer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bitzer in America

Bitzer is the 22144th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bitzer surname appeared 1,167 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 Bitzer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bitzer 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 Bitzer

The surname Bitzer is believed to have originated in Germany, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the German word "Beitzer," which means "a person who collects wood or picks up sticks." This occupation was likely prevalent in rural areas, where people relied on firewood for heating and cooking.

The earliest known records of the Bitzer surname can be found in various German regions, including Bavaria and Saxony, from the 15th and 16th centuries. One notable mention is in the Nuremberg Chronicle, a famous illustrated world history book published in 1493, which includes references to individuals with the Bitzer surname.

In the 17th century, a man named Hans Bitzer (1612-1679) gained recognition as a skilled clockmaker in the town of Augsburg, Bavaria. His intricate timepieces were highly prized among the wealthy and noble classes of the time.

Another prominent figure was Johann Bitzer (1713-1784), a German theologian and philosopher who served as a professor at the University of Jena. He published several influential works on ethics and moral philosophy.

During the 19th century, the Bitzer surname gained international recognition through the achievements of August Bitzer (1838-1916), a German-American entrepreneur and inventor. He founded the Bitzer Engine Company in California and is credited with developing innovative steam engine designs.

Notably, the Bitzer surname also appeared in the United States during this period. One example is William Bitzer (1872-1944), a pioneering American cinematographer and film producer who played a crucial role in the early development of motion pictures.

Over the centuries, the Bitzer surname has been found in various spellings, such as Bitzner, Bitzler, and Bitzmann, reflecting regional variations and linguistic influences. Additionally, the name has been associated with several place names, such as Bitzfeld and Bitzingen, which may have contributed to its origin and spread.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bitzer

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!