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

Engelhardt, 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 Engelhardt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Engelhardt in America

Engelhardt is the 6842nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Engelhardt surname appeared 4,924 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Engelhardt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Engelhardt 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 Engelhardt

The surname Engelhardt originates from Germany and dates back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old German words "engil" meaning "angel" and "hart" meaning "brave" or "hardy". The name was likely given to someone who exhibited angelic or virtuous qualities, or perhaps as a descriptive name for someone who was particularly courageous.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various medieval German records and documents. One notable example is a reference to a knight named Engelhardt von Regensburg in a 13th-century manuscript detailing the exploits of the Teutonic Order during the Crusades.

As the name spread throughout German-speaking regions, various spelling variations emerged, including Engelhart, Engelhard, and Engelhardt. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and regional pronunciation.

One of the earliest recorded place names associated with the surname is the village of Engelhardsmuehle in Bavaria, which dates back to the 14th century. The name likely originated from an early settler or landowner in the area.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname Engelhardt. One of the most famous was Johann Gottfried Engelhardt (1609-1668), a German composer and organist who served as the Kapellmeister at the court of the Elector of Saxony.

Another notable figure was Friedrich Engelhardt (1768-1837), a German architect and urban planner who designed several important buildings in Berlin during the early 19th century, including the Alte Nationalgalerie.

In the realm of science, Christian Engelhardt (1825-1915) was a German botanist and explorer who made significant contributions to the study of plant life in Central Asia and the Caucasus region.

The name also appears in the literary world with authors such as Ludwig Engelhardt (1828-1915), a German novelist and playwright known for his works exploring social issues and rural life in Saxony.

Lastly, the name has been associated with military figures, such as Karl Engelhardt (1890-1951), a German general who served in both World Wars and was involved in the Battle of Stalingrad during World War II.

These examples illustrate the diverse contexts in which the surname Engelhardt has appeared throughout history, reflecting its origins as a descriptive name and its widespread use among German-speaking populations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Engelhardt

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

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

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

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