2000
#8,583
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,529
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.31
Rare Last name
Germany
A locational surname indicating the person's ancestral origin in the country of Germany.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,249 Americans carry the last name Germany. That puts it at #8,526 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.24 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 80,667 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Germany 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Germany with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.2K
1 in 80,667
Census rank
#8,526
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,705 bearers of the surname Germany in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.24 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8526th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Germany, the largest self-reported group is Black at 50.4%. The next largest groups are White (40.2%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Germany
The surname "GERMANY" is a locational name derived from the country of Germany. It likely originated during the medieval period when people began adopting hereditary surnames based on their place of origin or residence.
The name "GERMANY" is believed to have its roots in the Latin word "Germani," which was used by the Romans to refer to the various Germanic tribes that inhabited the region. The word itself is thought to have originated from the Proto-Germanic word "*gēr," meaning "spear," suggesting that the early Germanic peoples were known for their prowess as spearmen.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "GERMANY" can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This historical document mentions individuals with the surname "de Germania," which translates to "of Germany" in Latin.
In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the surname "GERMANY" was Sir John de Germany, a knight who served King Edward I of England during the wars against Scotland. He was born around 1250 and played a significant role in the Siege of Caerlaverock in 1300.
Another historical figure with the surname "GERMANY" was William de Germany, who lived in the 14th century and held lands in Hertfordshire, England. He is mentioned in various records from that time period.
During the 15th century, a prominent member of the GERMANY family was Robert Germany, a merchant and alderman of the City of London. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1465 and was actively involved in the city's affairs.
In the 16th century, a notable figure was Sir Thomas Germany, a courtier and diplomat who served under Queen Elizabeth I. He was born around 1535 and played a crucial role in negotiations with foreign powers during his diplomatic career.
The surname "GERMANY" has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Germany Beck in Yorkshire and Germany Plantation in Wiltshire, which may have influenced the adoption of the surname by individuals residing in or near those locations.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Germany
Among Census respondents with the surname Germany, the largest self-reported group is Black at 50.4%. The next largest groups are White (40.2%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Germany 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 Germany surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American50.4% · 1,867
- White40.2% · 1,491
- Two or more races5.0% · 185
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 122
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 22
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 18
Timeline
Historical Census data for Germany
Germany 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
#8,606
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,825
+296 bearers (+8.4%)
Per 100,000 1.30
Rank movement Down 23 places
2020
#8,526
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,705
-120 bearers (-3.1%)
Per 100,000 1.24
Rank movement Up 80 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,583 | 3,529 | 1.31 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,606 | 3,825 | 1.30 | +296 bearers (+8.4%) | Down 23 places |
| 2020 | #8,526 | 3,705 | 1.24 | -120 bearers (-3.1%) | Up 80 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 Germany 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 | #8,606 | #8,526 | 0.9% |
| Count | 3,825 | 3,705 | -3.1% |
| Per 100K | 1.30 | 1.24 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Germany bearers went from 3,825 to 3,705 (-3.1% change). The surname moved up 80 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,606 to #8,526.
FAQ
Germany surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Germany?
Name Census estimates that about 4,249 living Americans carry the surname Germany. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 80,667 residents.
How common is Germany?
Germany ranks #8,526 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.24 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 3,705 people with the surname Germany. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,249), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.24 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.24 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 Germany.
Has Germany become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Germany went from 3,825 recorded bearers to 3,705. That is a decrease of 120 (-3.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #8,606 to #8,526.
What does the Census say about the background of Germany?
Among Census respondents with the surname Germany, the largest self-reported group is Black at 50.4%. The next largest groups are White (40.2%) and Two or More Races (5.0%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Germany in the 2020 Census, accounting for 50.4% (1,867 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Germany appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (50.4%), White (40.2%), Two or More Races (5.0%). 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 Germany (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 Germany mean?
A locational surname indicating the person's ancestral origin in the country of Germany. 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 Germany (1.24 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 common is the surname Germany?
Find out how many people have the last name Germany on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.