2000
#138,741
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Busenlehner
A German surname derived from a topographic name referring to someone living near a bushy slope.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 119 Americans carry the last name Busenlehner. That puts it at #153,590 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,880,289 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Busenlehner 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
119
1 in 2,880,289
Census rank
#153,590
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
104
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 104 bearers of the surname Busenlehner in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 153590th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Busenlehner, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Black (4.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Busenlehner
The surname BUSENLEHNER is of German origin, originating in the late medieval period around the 13th to 15th centuries. It is believed to have originated in the regions of Bavaria and Austria, where the name was initially derived from the German words "Busen" meaning "bosom" or "breast," and "Lehner" meaning "tenant" or "leaseholder."
This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who held a tenancy or lease on land owned by a lord or landowner, perhaps in relation to the production or trade of certain garments or textiles associated with the bosom or breast area. However, the precise origins and reasoning behind the name's formation remain unclear.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the BUSENLEHNER surname can be found in the Bavarian town of Landshut, where a certain Johannes Busenlehner is mentioned in a municipal record from the year 1427. Another early reference comes from the city of Salzburg in Austria, where a certain Georg Busenlehner is recorded as a citizen in the year 1491.
Over the centuries, the name has undergone various spelling variations, including Busenlechner, Busenlehnner, and Busenlenner, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal practices of different areas where the name was found.
Notable individuals bearing the BUSENLEHNER surname throughout history include:
1. Matthias Busenlehner (c. 1580-1642), a German-born sculptor and woodcarver active in the early 17th century, known for his intricate altarpiece works in churches across southern Germany and Austria.
2. Anna Busenlehner (1650-1728), a Bavarian woman accused of witchcraft during the late 17th century, whose trial records provide insight into the persecution of alleged witches during that era.
3. Johann Busenlehner (1756-1829), an Austrian farmer and landowner from the village of Oberndorf bei Salzburg, known for his contributions to the development of local agriculture and community affairs.
4. Friedrich Busenlehner (1819-1892), a German-born politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Prussian House of Representatives in the mid-19th century, advocating for legal reforms and civil rights.
5. Maria Busenlehner (1876-1961), an Austrian opera singer and soprano who performed in various theaters across Europe in the early 20th century, known for her interpretations of roles in operas by composers such as Wagner and Puccini.
While the BUSENLEHNER surname may have originated from humble beginnings, it has left its mark on various aspects of history, from the arts and politics to local communities and legal records, reflecting the diverse paths taken by those who have borne this distinctive name over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Busenlehner
Among Census respondents with the surname Busenlehner, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Black (4.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Busenlehner 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 Busenlehner surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.2% · 99
- Black or African American4.8% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Busenlehner
Busenlehner 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
#134,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 125
+14 bearers (+12.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,029 places
2020
#153,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-21 bearers (-16.8%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 18,878 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #138,741 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #134,712 | 125 | 0.04 | +14 bearers (+12.6%) | Up 4,029 places |
| 2020 | #153,590 | 104 | 0.03 | -21 bearers (-16.8%) | Down 18,878 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 Busenlehner 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 | #134,712 | #153,590 | -14.0% |
| Count | 125 | 104 | -16.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Busenlehner bearers went from 125 to 104 (-16.8% change). The surname moved down 18,878 positions in the national ranking, going from #134,712 to #153,590.
FAQ
Busenlehner surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Busenlehner?
Name Census estimates that about 119 living Americans carry the surname Busenlehner. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,880,289 residents.
How common is Busenlehner?
Busenlehner ranks #153,590 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 104 people with the surname Busenlehner. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (119), 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 Busenlehner.
Has Busenlehner become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Busenlehner went from 125 recorded bearers to 104. That is a decrease of 21 (-16.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #134,712 to #153,590.
What does the Census say about the background of Busenlehner?
Among Census respondents with the surname Busenlehner, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Black (4.8%). 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 Busenlehner in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.2% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Busenlehner appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.2%), Black (4.8%). 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 Busenlehner (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 Busenlehner mean?
A German surname derived from a topographic name referring to someone living near a bushy slope. 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 Busenlehner (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 are called Busenlehner?
You can see how many people are called Busenlehner on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.