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

Essen, 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 Essen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Essen in America

Essen is the 48060th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Essen surname appeared 440 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Essen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Essen 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 Essen

The surname "ESSEN" is of German origin and can be traced back to the 9th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old High German word "ezzan," which means "to eat." This suggests that the name may have been associated with someone who worked as a baker, cook, or someone involved in the food industry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "ESSEN" can be found in the Codex Aureus of Lorsch, a 9th-century manuscript from the Lorsch Abbey in present-day Germany. The name appears in the form of "Ezzino," which is likely a variant of the same surname.

In the 11th century, the name "ESSEN" is mentioned in the Domesday Book, a record of landowners and tenants in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This suggests that individuals bearing this surname may have migrated from Germany to England during the Norman conquest.

The city of Essen, located in the Ruhr region of Germany, is believed to have derived its name from the same Old High German word "ezzan." While it is not certain whether the surname originated from the city or vice versa, this connection further reinforces the name's association with the concept of eating or nourishment.

Notable individuals with the surname "ESSEN" include:

1. Johann Georg Essen (1675-1727), a German mathematician and astronomer known for his work on celestial mechanics and the calculation of planetary orbits.
2. Hans von Essen (1498-1567), a Swedish military commander and statesman who served as the Riksmarsk (Lord Marshal) of Sweden during the reign of King Gustav I.
3. Gert van Essen (1880-1965), a Dutch painter and etcher known for his landscapes and city scenes.
4. Leonie van Essen (1880-1967), a Dutch actress and singer who performed in various plays and operettas in the early 20th century.
5. Wilhelm Essen (1872-1949), a German architect and urban planner who designed several notable buildings in Berlin and other cities.

While the surname "ESSEN" has its roots in the German language and culture, it has since spread to various parts of the world through migration and intermarriage, carrying with it the rich history and associations with its origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Essen

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

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

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

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