2000
#9,163
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,273
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.21
Rare Last name
Blumberg
A German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) toponymic surname derived from places named Blumberg, meaning "flowery hill."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,567 Americans carry the last name Blumberg. That puts it at #9,900 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 96,090 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Blumberg 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
3.6K
1 in 96,090
Census rank
#9,900
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,111 bearers of the surname Blumberg in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9900th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Blumberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.8%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Blumberg
The surname Blumberg is believed to have originated in Germany, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. The name is derived from the German words "Blume" meaning "flower" and "Berg" meaning "hill" or "mountain." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a hill or mountain where flowers grew abundantly.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Blumberg can be found in the town of Blumberg, located in the Black Forest region of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The town's name, which means "flower mountain," likely influenced the surname's adoption in the area.
In the 14th century, a record from the town of Blumberg mentions a person named Hans Blumberg, who may have been one of the first known individuals to bear this surname. Another early reference to the name can be found in the "Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis," a collection of historical documents from the 14th century, which mentions a certain "Henricus de Blumenberg."
Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have carried the Blumberg surname. One of the earliest was Johannes Blumberg (c. 1450-1519), a German humanist and scholar who taught at the University of Leipzig and was known for his contributions to the study of classical literature.
In the 17th century, Johann Ludwig Blumberg (1629-1686) was a German composer and organist who served as the court musician for the Elector of Brandenburg. His compositions, particularly his organ works, were highly regarded during his time.
In the 19th century, Raphael Blumberg (1826-1889) was a prominent Austrian architect known for his work on numerous buildings in Vienna, including the Palais Ephrussi and the Synagogue in the Seitenstettengasse.
Another notable figure was Max Blumberg (1885-1925), a German-born American chess master and writer who authored several books on chess strategy and tactics. He was also a skilled player and won several tournaments in the early 20th century.
More recently, Ralph Blumberg (1930-2016) was an American business executive and philanthropist who served as the chairman and CEO of the Rockefeller Foundation. He was recognized for his contributions to promoting sustainable development and addressing global health issues.
These examples highlight the diverse backgrounds and achievements of individuals who have carried the Blumberg surname throughout history, originating from its roots in the German language and its connection to the town of Blumberg in the Black Forest region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Blumberg
Among Census respondents with the surname Blumberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.8%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Blumberg 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 Blumberg surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.2% · 2,775
- Hispanic or Latino6.8% · 213
- Two or more races2.6% · 80
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 35
- Black or African American0.2% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Blumberg
Blumberg 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
#10,119
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,185
-88 bearers (-2.7%)
Per 100,000 1.08
Rank movement Down 956 places
2020
#9,900
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,111
-74 bearers (-2.3%)
Per 100,000 1.04
Rank movement Up 219 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,163 | 3,273 | 1.21 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,119 | 3,185 | 1.08 | -88 bearers (-2.7%) | Down 956 places |
| 2020 | #9,900 | 3,111 | 1.04 | -74 bearers (-2.3%) | Up 219 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 Blumberg 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 | #10,119 | #9,900 | 2.2% |
| Count | 3,185 | 3,111 | -2.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.08 | 1.04 | -3.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Blumberg bearers went from 3,185 to 3,111 (-2.3% change). The surname moved up 219 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,119 to #9,900.
FAQ
Blumberg surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Blumberg?
Name Census estimates that about 3,567 living Americans carry the surname Blumberg. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 96,090 residents.
How common is Blumberg?
Blumberg ranks #9,900 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,111 people with the surname Blumberg. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,567), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Blumberg.
Has Blumberg become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Blumberg went from 3,185 recorded bearers to 3,111. That is a decrease of 74 (-2.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,119 to #9,900.
What does the Census say about the background of Blumberg?
Among Census respondents with the surname Blumberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.8%) and Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Blumberg in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.2% (2,775 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Blumberg appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.2%), Hispanic (6.8%), Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Blumberg (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 Blumberg mean?
A German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) toponymic surname derived from places named Blumberg, meaning "flowery hill." 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 Blumberg (1.04 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 Americans have the surname Blumberg?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.