2000
#13,690
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,032
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.75
Rare Last name
Essig
A German occupational surname derived from the Middle High German word for vinegar, referring to a vinegar maker.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,524 Americans carry the last name Essig. That puts it at #13,278 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.74 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 135,798 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Essig 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
2.5K
1 in 135,798
Census rank
#13,278
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,201 bearers of the surname Essig in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.74 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13278th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Essig, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.9%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Essig
The surname Essig originates from Germany, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the German word "Essig," meaning "vinegar," suggesting that the name's earliest bearers may have been involved in the production or trade of vinegar.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the municipal records of Nuremberg, Germany, from the year 1349, where a certain Hans Essig is mentioned. This indicates that the name was already well-established in the region by the mid-14th century.
The name Essig also appears in several historical documents from the 15th and 16th centuries, including the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of documents related to the history of Saxony. This suggests that the name had spread to other parts of Germany during this period.
In the 17th century, the name Essig can be found in the records of the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), with several soldiers bearing this surname serving in various regiments. One notable figure from this era is Johann Essig (1620-1692), a Lutheran pastor and theologian from Saxony.
As the name Essig spread throughout Germany, it also found its way into other regions. In the 18th century, there are records of individuals with this surname in the Austrian Empire, including Johann Georg Essig (1735-1798), a composer and organist from Bohemia.
Moving into the 19th century, the name Essig gained prominence in the field of viticulture, with several notable figures contributing to the study and cultivation of grapes and wine production. Among them was Friedrich Essig (1824-1890), a German viticulturist and author of several books on the subject.
Throughout history, the surname Essig has been associated with various professions, from clergy and military personnel to artists and academics. While its origins may have been humble, the name has left an indelible mark on the cultural and historical fabric of Germany and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Essig
Among Census respondents with the surname Essig, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.9%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Essig 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 Essig surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.9% · 2,001
- Hispanic or Latino3.9% · 85
- Two or more races3.6% · 80
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 22
- Black or African American0.4% · 8
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Essig
Essig 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
#13,884
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,175
+143 bearers (+7.0%)
Per 100,000 0.74
Rank movement Down 194 places
2020
#13,278
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,201
+26 bearers (+1.2%)
Per 100,000 0.74
Rank movement Up 606 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,690 | 2,032 | 0.75 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,884 | 2,175 | 0.74 | +143 bearers (+7.0%) | Down 194 places |
| 2020 | #13,278 | 2,201 | 0.74 | +26 bearers (+1.2%) | Up 606 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 Essig 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 | #13,884 | #13,278 | 4.4% |
| Count | 2,175 | 2,201 | 1.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.74 | 0.74 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Essig bearers went from 2,175 to 2,201 (+1.2% change). The surname moved up 606 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,884 to #13,278.
FAQ
Essig surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Essig?
Name Census estimates that about 2,524 living Americans carry the surname Essig. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 135,798 residents.
How common is Essig?
Essig ranks #13,278 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.74 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 2,201 people with the surname Essig. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,524), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.74 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.74 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 Essig.
Has Essig become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Essig went from 2,175 recorded bearers to 2,201. That is an increase of 26 (+1.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #13,884 to #13,278.
What does the Census say about the background of Essig?
Among Census respondents with the surname Essig, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.9%) and Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Essig in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.9% (2,001 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Essig appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.9%), Hispanic (3.9%), Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Essig (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 Essig mean?
A German occupational surname derived from the Middle High German word for vinegar, referring to a vinegar maker. 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 Essig (0.74 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 have the last name Essig?
If you just want to know how many Americans have the surname Essig, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.