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Very Rare Last name

Bochner

A surname of Polish or German origin meaning "baker" or someone who bakes bread.

According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 548 Americans carry the last name Bochner. That puts it at #45,653 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.16 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 625,464 residents).

This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bochner surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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

548

1 in 625,464

Census rank

#45,653

2010 decennial data

Per 100,000

0.2

Frequency rate

Recorded bearers

468

very rare in the US

Popularity narrative

The Census Bureau recorded 468 bearers of the surname Bochner in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.16 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 45653rd position in the national surname ranking.

Among Census respondents with the surname Bochner, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.5%).

Origin

Meaning and origin of Bochner

The surname Bochner has its origins in Eastern Europe, particularly Poland and Russia. It is derived from the Yiddish word "bokhner," which means "cattle dealer" or "cattle merchant." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname were likely involved in the cattle trade or related occupations.

The name Bochner can be traced back to the late 18th century and early 19th century in various regions of Poland and Russia. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name appear in birth and marriage records from these areas during this time period.

While the name Bochner does not appear in major historical documents like the Domesday Book, it is possible that variations or similar spellings may have existed in earlier centuries. Names often evolved over time due to changes in language, migration, and cultural influences.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Bochner was Mordechai Bochner, a Jewish scholar and writer who lived in the early 19th century in Poland. He authored several works on Jewish law and tradition.

Another notable figure was Samuel Bochner, a Polish-born mathematician who made significant contributions to the field of functional analysis. He was born in 1899 and spent much of his academic career in the United States.

In the literary world, Mordecai Richler, a renowned Canadian author, was born in 1931 to a family with the surname Bochner, which was later anglicized to Richler.

Isadore Bochner, born in 1910 in Poland, was a successful businessman and philanthropist who immigrated to the United States and became a prominent figure in the Jewish community.

Leo Bochner, born in 1924 in Austria, was a Holocaust survivor and author who documented his experiences during World War II in his memoir, "The Restless Wanderers."

While these are just a few examples, the surname Bochner has been carried by individuals from various backgrounds and professions throughout history, reflecting its origins and evolution over time.

Demographics

Ancestry and ethnicity for Bochner

Among Census respondents with the surname Bochner, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.5%).

The bar chart below shows how Bochner bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.

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 Bochner surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.

  • White97.4%
  • Two or more races1.5%
  • Unknown or suppressed1.1%

Year on year

2000 vs 2010 Census

How has the Bochner surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.

Census year comparison

20002010
Bearer countPer 100,000 residents20002010200020104494680.20.2
Metric 2000 2010 Change
Rank #44,997 #45,653 -1.5%
Count 449 468 4.2%
Per 100K 0.17 0.16 -5.9%

Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Bochner bearers went from 449 to 468 (+4.2% change). The surname moved down 656 positions in the national ranking, going from #44,997 to #45,653.

Notable bearers

Famous people with the surname Bochner

FAQ

Bochner surname: questions and answers

How common is the last name Bochner?

The surname Bochner holds position #45,653 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 548 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.16 per 100,000 Americans.

What is the ethnic background of the Bochner surname?

Among Census respondents with the surname Bochner, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.5%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.

Where does this surname data come from?

All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.

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Bochner

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