Doerr
A German occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of wire, from the Middle High German "dörære."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,889 Americans carry the last name Doerr. That puts it at #5,817 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.01 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 49,754 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Doerr 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
6.9K
1 in 49,754
Census rank
#5,817
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,942 bearers of the surname Doerr in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.01 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5817th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Doerr, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Two or More Races (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Doerr
The surname Doerr is of German origin, dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the German word "dürr," which means "thin" or "slender." The name was likely initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone with a slender physique.
The earliest recorded instances of the Doerr surname can be found in various German regions, particularly in Bavaria and the surrounding areas. The name is also found in various historical records, such as church registers and municipal records, from the 16th and 17th centuries.
One of the earliest known bearers of the Doerr surname was Hans Doerr, born around 1530 in the village of Kirchheim, Bavaria. Records show that he was a farmer and landowner in the region.
Another notable figure with the Doerr surname was Johann Doerr, a German theologian and philosopher who lived from 1635 to 1692. He was a prominent scholar and author of several works on theology and philosophy during the Baroque era.
In the 19th century, the Doerr surname gained recognition with the birth of Hermann Doerr (1821-1902), a German-American entrepreneur and industrialist. He founded the Doerr Brewing Company in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, which became one of the largest breweries in the region during the late 19th century.
Another prominent individual with the Doerr surname was Georg Doerr (1860-1923), a German artist and painter known for his landscape paintings and portraits. His works were exhibited in various galleries across Germany and Europe during his lifetime.
The Doerr surname can also be found in various place names and geographic locations within Germany, such as Dörrenbach, a small village in the state of Baden-Württemberg, which likely derived its name from the surname itself.
While the Doerr surname originated in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to immigration and migration patterns. However, its roots and historical significance can be traced back to the German regions where it first emerged as a descriptive nickname centuries ago.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Doerr
Among Census respondents with the surname Doerr, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Two or More Races (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Doerr 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 Doerr surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.2%
- Hispanic or Latino2.3%
- Two or more races1.0%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8%
- Black or African American0.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Doerr surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,361 | #5,817 | -8.5% |
| Count | 5,977 | 5,942 | -0.6% |
| Per 100K | 2.22 | 2.01 | -9.5% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Doerr bearers went from 5,977 to 5,942 (-0.6% change). The surname moved down 456 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,361 to #5,817.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Doerr
FAQ
Doerr surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Doerr?
The surname Doerr holds position #5,817 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 6,889 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 2.01 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Doerr surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Doerr, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Two or More Races (1.0%). 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.