2010
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Ferdelman
A German toponymic surname referring to someone from a place named Ferdelman.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 114 Americans carry the last name Ferdelman. That puts it at #156,005 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,006,617 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ferdelman 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
114
1 in 3,006,617
Census rank
#156,005
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
99
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 99 bearers of the surname Ferdelman in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156005th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ferdelman, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ferdelman
The surname Ferdelman is of German origin, with its roots tracing back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated in the region of Bavaria, where it was initially spelled as "Ferdlmann" or "Ferdlman." The name is derived from the German words "ferd" and "man," which together translate to "a man who tends or cares for horses."
The earliest known record of the Ferdelman name can be found in a 1567 census record from the town of Augsburg, which lists a "Hans Ferdlmann" among its residents. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the area by that time.
In the 17th century, the Ferdelman name began to spread beyond Bavaria, with records showing individuals bearing this surname in other parts of Germany and neighboring regions. One notable example is Johann Ferdelman, a prominent merchant born in Nürnberg in 1625, who established successful trade routes throughout central Europe.
As the name traveled, its spelling evolved, leading to variations such as "Ferdelman," "Ferdellman," and "Ferdlemann." These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of local record keepers.
By the 18th century, the Ferdelman name had become firmly rooted in various parts of Germany, with several notable individuals bearing this surname. One such person was Friedrich Ferdelman, a respected scholar and philosopher born in Leipzig in 1732, whose works on ethics and morality were widely read throughout Europe.
In the 19th century, the Ferdelman name continued to gain recognition, particularly in the fields of academia and literature. Hermann Ferdelman (1801-1876), a German philologist and linguist, made significant contributions to the study of ancient languages and their influence on modern German.
Another notable figure from this period was Gustav Ferdelman (1835-1919), a German novelist and playwright whose works explored themes of social commentary and human relationships. His novel "Der Kaufmann von Berlin" (The Merchant of Berlin) was widely acclaimed and brought him national recognition.
As the 20th century dawned, the Ferdelman name continued to be carried by individuals across various professions and walks of life. One such individual was Karl Ferdelman (1892-1967), a renowned architect whose designs left a lasting impact on the urban landscapes of several German cities.
Throughout its history, the surname Ferdelman has maintained its connection to its equestrian roots, even as its bearers have pursued diverse paths and made their marks in various fields. While the name may have experienced variations in spelling and pronunciation over the centuries, its essence and origins remain firmly rooted in the rich cultural tapestry of Germany.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ferdelman
Among Census respondents with the surname Ferdelman, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Ferdelman 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 Ferdelman surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.0% · 96
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ferdelman
Ferdelman appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#156,005
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 99
-9 bearers (-8.3%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 4,473 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #156,005 | 99 | 0.03 | -9 bearers (-8.3%) | Down 4,473 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 Ferdelman 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 | #151,532 | #156,005 | -3.0% |
| Count | 108 | 99 | -8.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -17.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ferdelman bearers went from 108 to 99 (-8.3% change). The surname moved down 4,473 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #156,005.
FAQ
Ferdelman surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ferdelman?
Name Census estimates that about 114 living Americans carry the surname Ferdelman. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,006,617 residents.
How common is Ferdelman?
Ferdelman ranks #156,005 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 99 people with the surname Ferdelman. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (114), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Ferdelman.
Has Ferdelman become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ferdelman went from 108 recorded bearers to 99. That is a decrease of 9 (-8.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #151,532 to #156,005.
What does the Census say about the background of Ferdelman?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ferdelman, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%). 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 Ferdelman in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.0% (96 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ferdelman appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.0%), Hispanic (3.0%). 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 Ferdelman (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 Ferdelman mean?
A German toponymic surname referring to someone from a place named Ferdelman. 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 Ferdelman (0.03 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 Americans have the surname Ferdelman?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.