2000
#132,259
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Boxleitner
A topographic name referring to someone who lived near a wooden staircase or box-like structure.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 117 Americans carry the last name Boxleitner. That puts it at #154,755 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,929,524 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Boxleitner 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
117
1 in 2,929,524
Census rank
#154,755
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
102
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 102 bearers of the surname Boxleitner in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154755th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Boxleitner, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.0%. The next largest groups are Black (1.0%) and Two or More Races (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Boxleitner
The surname BOXLEITNER is of German origin, and its roots can be traced back to the 16th century in the southern regions of Germany. The name is a combination of two words: "Box," which means "box" or "chest," and "Leitner," which refers to a person who operated or managed a box or chest, likely a container for storing goods or valuables.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the BOXLEITNER name can be found in the town records of Augsburg, Bavaria, dating back to the late 16th century. These records mention a family of merchants and traders who owned a prosperous business dealing in various goods and commodities, with the name BOXLEITNER associated with their trade activities.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the BOXLEITNER name appeared in various historical documents and records across southern Germany, including church registries, land deeds, and local administrative records. This indicates that the name was well-established in the region during this time period.
Notable individuals with the BOXLEITNER surname include Hans BOXLEITNER (1592-1658), a respected merchant and landowner in the city of Nuremberg; Katharina BOXLEITNER (1625-1701), a prominent figure in the local community known for her philanthropic endeavors; and Johann BOXLEITNER (1718-1782), a respected scholar and educator who taught at the University of Heidelberg.
In the 19th century, the BOXLEITNER name began to spread beyond the borders of Germany, as some members of the family emigrated to other parts of Europe and even to the United States in search of new opportunities. One prominent figure from this era was Friedrich BOXLEITNER (1832-1901), a successful entrepreneur who established a thriving business in the textile industry in the city of Hamburg.
Another notable BOXLEITNER was Elise BOXLEITNER (1868-1945), a renowned artist and painter who gained recognition for her portraits and landscape paintings, many of which are now featured in prestigious art galleries across Europe.
Throughout its history, the BOXLEITNER surname has maintained a strong connection to its German roots, reflecting the industrious and entrepreneurial spirit of its bearers. While the name may have evolved slightly in spelling or pronunciation over the centuries, its essence remains firmly rooted in the rich cultural heritage of southern Germany.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Boxleitner
Among Census respondents with the surname Boxleitner, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.0%. The next largest groups are Black (1.0%) and Two or More Races (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Boxleitner 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 Boxleitner surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White98.0% · 100
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
- Two or more races1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Boxleitner
Boxleitner 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
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-14 bearers (-11.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 23,785 places
2020
#154,755
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-2 bearers (-1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 1,289 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #132,259 | 118 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | -14 bearers (-11.9%) | Down 23,785 places |
| 2020 | #154,755 | 102 | 0.03 | -2 bearers (-1.9%) | Up 1,289 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 Boxleitner 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 | #156,044 | #154,755 | 0.8% |
| Count | 104 | 102 | -1.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -14.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Boxleitner bearers went from 104 to 102 (-1.9% change). The surname moved up 1,289 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #154,755.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Boxleitner
FAQ
Boxleitner surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Boxleitner?
Name Census estimates that about 117 living Americans carry the surname Boxleitner. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,929,524 residents.
How common is Boxleitner?
Boxleitner ranks #154,755 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 102 people with the surname Boxleitner. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (117), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Boxleitner.
Has Boxleitner become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Boxleitner went from 104 recorded bearers to 102. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #154,755.
What does the Census say about the background of Boxleitner?
Among Census respondents with the surname Boxleitner, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.0%. The next largest groups are Black (1.0%) and Two or More Races (1.0%). 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 Boxleitner in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.0% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Boxleitner appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (98.0%), Black (1.0%), Two or More Races (1.0%). 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 Boxleitner (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 Boxleitner mean?
A topographic name referring to someone who lived near a wooden staircase or box-like structure. 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 Boxleitner (0.03 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 share the surname Boxleitner?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.