2000
#11,035
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,643
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.98
Rare Last name
Bortz
A German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) surname derived from a pet form of the personal name Bortolo, or a nickname meaning "beard."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,908 Americans carry the last name Bortz. That puts it at #11,805 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.85 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 117,866 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bortz 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
2.9K
1 in 117,866
Census rank
#11,805
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,536 bearers of the surname Bortz in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.85 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11805th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bortz, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bortz
The surname BORTZ is believed to have originated in Germany during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old German word "burz," which means "short" or "small." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a nickname or descriptive term for someone with a short stature.
During the medieval period, surnames were often derived from physical characteristics, occupations, or places of origin. The name BORTZ likely started as a descriptive surname given to someone who was shorter than average. Over time, it became a hereditary surname passed down through generations.
One of the earliest records of the name BORTZ can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from the region of Saxony, Germany, dating back to the 13th century. This suggests that the name was already established in that region by that time.
In the 14th century, there are records of a man named Johannes BORTZ, who was a prominent merchant in the city of Nuremberg, Germany. He is mentioned in several historical documents related to trade and commerce in the region.
Another notable bearer of the surname BORTZ was Hans BORTZ, a German theologian and reformer who lived in the 16th century (1492-1564). He was a supporter of Martin Luther and played a role in the Protestant Reformation.
During the 17th century, the name BORTZ appeared in various records across different regions of Germany. One example is Christian BORTZ (1625-1697), a German painter and engraver who was known for his religious artwork.
In the 18th century, Johann Friedrich BORTZ (1720-1789) was a German writer and philosopher who contributed to the Enlightenment movement. He published several works on philosophy and education during his lifetime.
As the centuries progressed, the surname BORTZ spread to different parts of Europe and beyond, carried by individuals and families who migrated or settled in new regions. However, its origins can be traced back to the German-speaking regions of Central Europe during the Middle Ages.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bortz
Among Census respondents with the surname Bortz, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Bortz 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 Bortz surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.4% · 2,344
- Two or more races3.4% · 87
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 67
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 17
- Black or African American0.5% · 12
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bortz
Bortz 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
#11,290
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,798
+155 bearers (+5.9%)
Per 100,000 0.95
Rank movement Down 255 places
2020
#11,805
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,536
-262 bearers (-9.4%)
Per 100,000 0.85
Rank movement Down 515 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,035 | 2,643 | 0.98 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,290 | 2,798 | 0.95 | +155 bearers (+5.9%) | Down 255 places |
| 2020 | #11,805 | 2,536 | 0.85 | -262 bearers (-9.4%) | Down 515 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 Bortz 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 | #11,290 | #11,805 | -4.6% |
| Count | 2,798 | 2,536 | -9.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.95 | 0.85 | -10.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bortz bearers went from 2,798 to 2,536 (-9.4% change). The surname moved down 515 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,290 to #11,805.
FAQ
Bortz surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bortz?
Name Census estimates that about 2,908 living Americans carry the surname Bortz. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 117,866 residents.
How common is Bortz?
Bortz ranks #11,805 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.85 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 2,536 people with the surname Bortz. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,908), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.85 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.85 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 Bortz.
Has Bortz become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bortz went from 2,798 recorded bearers to 2,536. That is a decrease of 262 (-9.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #11,290 to #11,805.
What does the Census say about the background of Bortz?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bortz, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (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 Bortz in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.4% (2,344 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bortz appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.4%), Two or More Races (3.4%), Hispanic (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 Bortz (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 Bortz mean?
A German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) surname derived from a pet form of the personal name Bortolo, or a nickname meaning "beard." 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 Bortz (0.85 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 common is the surname Bortz?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Bortz on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.