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

Gerstenschlager, 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 Gerstenschlager surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gerstenschlager in America

Gerstenschlager is the 132206th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gerstenschlager surname appeared 128 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 Gerstenschlager.

The history of the last name Gerstenschlager

The surname Gerstenschlager originates from Germany, with its earliest known usage dating back to the 13th century. The name is derived from the Middle High German words "gerste," meaning barley, and "slagaere," meaning striker or thresher, suggesting that the original bearers of this name were involved in the cultivation or processing of barley.

In historical records, the name appears with various spellings, such as Gerstenschleger, Gerstenschleger, and Gerstenschläger, reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and orthography. One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the 1308 Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, which mentions a certain "Cunradus dictus Gerstenslagere" from the town of Zwenkau near Leipzig.

The name Gerstenschlager has a strong association with the agricultural sector, particularly in regions known for barley cultivation and brewing. In the 14th century, a Gerstenschlager family was recorded as landowners in the village of Rittershausen, near the city of Göttingen in Lower Saxony.

Notable individuals bearing the Gerstenschlager surname include Johannes Gerstenschlager (c.1460-1522), a German humanist and theologian who served as a professor at the University of Erfurt. Another prominent figure was Hans Gerstenschlager (1518-1576), a Lutheran pastor and reformer who played a significant role in the establishment of Protestantism in the city of Ulm.

In the 16th century, the name appears in the records of the Reformation in Switzerland, with Heinrich Gerstenschlager (c.1530-1590) being a Swiss Reformed theologian and author from Zurich. Similarly, Christoph Gerstenschlager (1550-1618) was a Lutheran theologian and author from Nuremberg, known for his works on Church history and theology.

The Gerstenschlager name also gained recognition in the arts, with Johann Gerstenschlager (1637-1721) being a notable German Baroque sculptor and woodcarver active in Bamberg and Würzburg. His intricate works adorned churches and monasteries throughout the region.

While the Gerstenschlager surname has its origins in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora, although its prevalence remains highest in German-speaking regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gerstenschlager

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

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 Gerstenschlager 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.

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

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

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