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

Buckwalter, 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 Buckwalter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Buckwalter in America

Buckwalter is the 12869th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Buckwalter surname appeared 2,392 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Buckwalter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Buckwalter 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 Buckwalter

The surname Buckwalter has its origins in Germany, dating back to the medieval era. It is believed to be derived from the Old German words "buck" (a male goat or ram) and "walter" (a ruler or keeper), suggesting that the original bearers of this name may have been associated with the management or herding of goats or rams.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Buckwalter can be traced back to the 13th century, with mentions found in various regional records and documents from areas such as Bavaria and Saxony. It is likely that the name originated as a descriptive occupational surname, referring to individuals who were involved in the care or management of these animals.

One of the earliest known references to the name Buckwalter can be found in the records of the Benedictine monastery in Regensburg, Bavaria, dating back to the late 13th century. This document mentions a certain "Johannes Buckwalter" as a resident of the nearby village of Wolfstein.

As the name spread across various regions of Germany, it underwent slight variations in spelling, such as Buckwalder, Buckwalter, and Bukwalter. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and regional differences in pronunciation and orthography.

Among the notable historical figures with the surname Buckwalter, one can mention:

1. Heinrich Buckwalter (c. 1420 – 1492), a prominent merchant and landowner from Nuremberg, known for his extensive trade networks across Europe.
2. Anna Buckwalter (1525 – 1598), a renowned herbalist and midwife from Heidelberg, whose knowledge of medicinal plants and natural remedies was widely sought after in her time.
3. Christoph Buckwalter (1628 – 1703), a Lutheran theologian and professor at the University of Wittenberg, known for his scholarly works on biblical exegesis and church history.
4. Johann Buckwalter (1734 – 1804), a celebrated clockmaker from Augsburg, whose intricate and finely crafted timepieces were highly prized by nobility and wealthy patrons across Europe.
5. Elise Buckwalter (1856 – 1932), a German-American educator and women's rights advocate, who played a significant role in establishing educational opportunities for women in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

While the surname Buckwalter has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and immigration patterns. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in Germany, where it emerged as an occupational surname reflecting the historical occupation of goat or ram herding and management.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Buckwalter

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

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

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

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