2000
#6,775
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,587
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.70
Rare Last name
Eichelberger
Derived from a German topographic name referring to a hill or mountain covered with oak trees.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,120 Americans carry the last name Eichelberger. That puts it at #7,211 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.49 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 66,944 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Eichelberger 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
5.1K
1 in 66,944
Census rank
#7,211
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,465 bearers of the surname Eichelberger in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.49 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7211th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Eichelberger, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.2%. The next largest groups are Black (16.2%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Eichelberger
The surname Eichelberger is of German origin, with roots dating back to the late medieval period in the region of Bavaria. It is a compound word derived from the German words "eichel," meaning "acorn," and "berg," meaning "mountain" or "hill." This suggests that the name likely originated from a geographical location or settlement situated on a hill or mountain where oak trees were abundant.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Eichelberger can be found in the town records of Nuremberg, Bavaria, from the 15th century. It is mentioned in a document dated 1487, referring to a family residing in the outskirts of the city, near the forested hills.
The name Eichelberger appears to have been relatively uncommon in its early years, with few mentions in historical records. However, in the 16th century, a notable figure bearing this surname was Johann Eichelberger (1512-1578), a German theologian and reformer who played a role in the Protestant Reformation movement.
As the name spread throughout Germany, variations in spelling emerged, such as Eichelbergher, Eichelbergar, and Eichelbergen. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and scribal practices of the time.
In the 17th century, a branch of the Eichelberger family emigrated to the American colonies, settling in Pennsylvania. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in America is found in the records of the German Reformed Church in Philadelphia, which mentions a Johannes Eichelberger in 1689.
Another notable bearer of the Eichelberger surname was General Robert L. Eichelberger (1886-1961), a highly decorated American military officer who served in both World War I and World War II. He played a crucial role in the Pacific theater during WWII, commanding the Eighth Army in the Southwest Pacific Area.
Other historical figures with the Eichelberger surname include Johann Adam Eichelberger (1760-1826), a German-American clockmaker and inventor known for his contributions to the development of the longcase clock, and Friedrich Eichelberger (1811-1889), a German politician and member of the Frankfurt Parliament during the Revolutions of 1848-1849.
While the surname Eichelberger may not be as widespread as some other German surnames, it has a rich history and geographical significance, reflecting the diverse landscapes and settlements of its origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Eichelberger
Among Census respondents with the surname Eichelberger, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.2%. The next largest groups are Black (16.2%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Eichelberger 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 Eichelberger surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White78.2% · 3,492
- Black or African American16.2% · 723
- Two or more races2.6% · 116
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 107
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 18
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Eichelberger
Eichelberger 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
#7,191
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,647
+60 bearers (+1.3%)
Per 100,000 1.58
Rank movement Down 416 places
2020
#7,211
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,465
-182 bearers (-3.9%)
Per 100,000 1.49
Rank movement Down 20 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,775 | 4,587 | 1.70 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,191 | 4,647 | 1.58 | +60 bearers (+1.3%) | Down 416 places |
| 2020 | #7,211 | 4,465 | 1.49 | -182 bearers (-3.9%) | Down 20 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 Eichelberger 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 | #7,191 | #7,211 | -0.3% |
| Count | 4,647 | 4,465 | -3.9% |
| Per 100K | 1.58 | 1.49 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Eichelberger bearers went from 4,647 to 4,465 (-3.9% change). The surname moved down 20 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,191 to #7,211.
FAQ
Eichelberger surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Eichelberger?
Name Census estimates that about 5,120 living Americans carry the surname Eichelberger. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 66,944 residents.
How common is Eichelberger?
Eichelberger ranks #7,211 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.49 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 4,465 people with the surname Eichelberger. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,120), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.49 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.49 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 Eichelberger.
Has Eichelberger become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Eichelberger went from 4,647 recorded bearers to 4,465. That is a decrease of 182 (-3.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,191 to #7,211.
What does the Census say about the background of Eichelberger?
Among Census respondents with the surname Eichelberger, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.2%. The next largest groups are Black (16.2%) and Two or More Races (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 Eichelberger in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.2% (3,492 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Eichelberger appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (78.2%), Black (16.2%), Two or More Races (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 Eichelberger (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 Eichelberger mean?
Derived from a German topographic name referring to a hill or mountain covered with oak trees. 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 Eichelberger (1.49 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 Eichelberger?
You can see how many people have the last name Eichelberger on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.