2000
#117,538
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 137
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Engelmeier
A German surname derived from the phrase "auf dem Engel Meier," meaning "at the angel's farm."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Engelmeier. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Engelmeier 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
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Engelmeier in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Engelmeier, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.1%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%) and Two or More Races (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Engelmeier
The surname Engelmeier has its origins in Germany, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the German words "Engel," meaning angel, and "Meier," referring to a steward or bailiff. This suggests that the name may have originally belonged to someone who worked as a steward on a property owned by a noble or religious institution.
The name Engelmeier is thought to have first appeared in the region of Westphalia, located in the northwestern part of present-day Germany. Early records show variations in spelling, such as Engelmeyer, Engelmayer, and Engelmeyer, reflecting the regional dialects and the inconsistencies in written records during that time.
One of the earliest known references to the name Engelmeier can be found in a document from the city of Münster, dated 1587, which mentions a certain Johann Engelmeier as a landowner. Another notable mention is in the church records of the village of Borken, where a family by the name of Engelmeier is listed as residents in the late 16th century.
In the 17th century, the Engelmeier name gained prominence with the birth of Wilhelm Engelmeier (1618-1692), a respected scholar and theologian who served as a professor at the University of Jena. His writings on philosophy and religious studies were widely influential during his time.
Another notable figure was Heinrich Engelmeier (1754-1823), a German composer and organist who made significant contributions to the development of church music in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His compositions were performed in many churches and cathedrals throughout Germany.
The 19th century saw the rise of Johann Engelmeier (1812-1879), a successful industrialist who established one of the first steel mills in the Ruhr region of Germany. His business ventures played a crucial role in the industrial revolution and the growth of the German economy during that period.
In the field of literature, Gertrude Engelmeier (1898-1976) was a renowned poet and author whose works explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition. Her poetry collections were widely acclaimed and translated into several languages.
Lastly, Heinz Engelmeier (1920-2005) was a prominent architect whose modernist designs left a lasting impact on the urban landscapes of many German cities. His most notable works include the Cologne City Hall and the Stuttgart Central Library, both considered architectural masterpieces of the 20th century.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Engelmeier
Among Census respondents with the surname Engelmeier, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.1%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%) and Two or More Races (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Engelmeier 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 Engelmeier surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White98.1% · 106
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Engelmeier
Engelmeier 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
#114,424
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 153
+16 bearers (+11.7%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 3,114 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-45 bearers (-29.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 36,511 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #117,538 | 137 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #114,424 | 153 | 0.05 | +16 bearers (+11.7%) | Up 3,114 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | -45 bearers (-29.4%) | Down 36,511 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 Engelmeier 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 | #114,424 | #150,935 | -31.9% |
| Count | 153 | 108 | -29.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -27.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Engelmeier bearers went from 153 to 108 (-29.4% change). The surname moved down 36,511 positions in the national ranking, going from #114,424 to #150,935.
FAQ
Engelmeier surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Engelmeier?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Engelmeier. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Engelmeier?
Engelmeier ranks #150,935 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 108 people with the surname Engelmeier. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Engelmeier.
Has Engelmeier become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Engelmeier went from 153 recorded bearers to 108. That is a decrease of 45 (-29.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #114,424 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Engelmeier?
Among Census respondents with the surname Engelmeier, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.1%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%) and Two or More Races (0.9%). 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 Engelmeier in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.1% (106 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Engelmeier appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (98.1%), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%), Two or More Races (0.9%). 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 Engelmeier (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 Engelmeier mean?
A German surname derived from the phrase "auf dem Engel Meier," meaning "at the angel's farm." 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 Engelmeier (0.04 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 Engelmeier?
If you just want to know how many people have the surname Engelmeier, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.