Fischbach
A German topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a fish brook or stream.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,296 Americans carry the last name Fischbach. That puts it at #14,995 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.67 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 149,283 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fischbach surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
2.3K
1 in 149,283
Census rank
#14,995
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,970 bearers of the surname Fischbach in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.67 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14995th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fischbach, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fischbach
The surname "FISCHBACH" has its origins in Germany, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is a topographic name, derived from the German words "Fisch" meaning fish and "Bach" meaning stream or brook, likely referring to someone who lived near a stream where fish were found.
The name can be traced back to the 13th century, with records showing variations such as "Fischebach" and "Fischbache" in areas like Bavaria and Saxony. It is believed that the name was originally an occupational name for a fisherman or someone involved in the fishing trade.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from the region of Saxony, where a "Heinrich Fischbach" is mentioned in a land transaction dated 1295.
In the 14th century, the name appears in the Heidelberg Manuscript, a collection of legal texts and documents from the region of Heidelberg, where a "Conrad Fischbach" is listed as a witness in a court case in 1378.
During the 16th century, the name gained some prominence with the birth of Johann Fischbach (1497-1564), a German Lutheran theologian and author of several religious works. Another notable figure was Hans Fischbach (1540-1609), a German architect and master builder responsible for several churches and castles in the region.
The 17th century saw the birth of Johann Fischbach (1637-1719), a German composer and organist known for his sacred music compositions. In the 18th century, Johann Georg Fischbach (1725-1789) was a notable German painter and engraver, known for his landscapes and portraits.
As the name spread across Germany and into neighboring regions, it also took on various spellings and variations, such as "Fischbacher," "Fischbeck," and "Fischbuch," reflecting regional dialects and linguistic evolutions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fischbach
Among Census respondents with the surname Fischbach, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Fischbach bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Fischbach surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.5%
- Hispanic or Latino3.0%
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.2%
- Two or more races1.0%
- Unknown or suppressed0.3%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Fischbach surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,413 | #14,995 | -4.0% |
| Count | 1,902 | 1,970 | 3.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.71 | 0.67 | -5.6% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Fischbach bearers went from 1,902 to 1,970 (+3.6% change). The surname moved down 582 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,413 to #14,995.
FAQ
Fischbach surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Fischbach?
The surname Fischbach holds position #14,995 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 2,296 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.67 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Fischbach surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fischbach, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.2%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.