2000
#133,114
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Glissendorf
A German locational surname derived from a place name meaning "slippery village."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Glissendorf. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Glissendorf 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
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Glissendorf in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Glissendorf, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.8%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Glissendorf
The surname GLISSENDORF is believed to have originated in Germany during the late Middle Ages, likely between the 13th and 15th centuries. It is thought to be derived from a combination of the German words "glissen" meaning "to glisten" or "to shine", and "dorf" meaning "village". This suggests that the name may have referred to a settlement or village known for its shining or glistening surroundings, perhaps due to a nearby river or lake.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name GLISSENDORF can be found in a 14th-century document from the town of Mainz, where a certain "Hans von Glissendorf" is listed as a landowner. Another early reference is a 1472 court record from the city of Cologne, which mentions a "Gertrude Glissendorf" involved in a property dispute.
A notable bearer of the GLISSENDORF name was Johannes Glissendorf (1492-1556), a German priest and theologian who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation. He was born in the town of Glissendorf, which may have been named after his family or vice versa.
In the 16th century, the GLISSENDORF surname appears to have spread across various regions of Germany, with records showing individuals bearing the name in cities like Berlin, Leipzig, and Frankfurt. One such individual was Wilhelm Glissendorf (1538-1612), a prominent merchant and alderman in Berlin.
Moving into the 17th century, we find mention of Katharina Glissendorf (1621-1698), a renowned herbalist and midwife from the town of Göttingen. Her work in documenting the medicinal properties of various plants and her contributions to the field of midwifery earned her recognition throughout the region.
By the 18th century, the GLISSENDORF name had also found its way to other parts of Europe, with records showing individuals bearing the surname in places like the Netherlands and Switzerland. One notable figure from this time period was Hans Jakob Glissendorf (1724-1802), a Swiss military officer who served in the armies of several European nations during the various wars of the 18th century.
As the centuries passed, the GLISSENDORF surname continued to be represented in various fields, including academia, the arts, and politics. However, it is important to note that these individuals and their accomplishments are based on historical records and accounts, and may not represent a comprehensive picture of all those who have borne this surname throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Glissendorf
Among Census respondents with the surname Glissendorf, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.8%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Glissendorf 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 Glissendorf surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.4% · 107
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 2
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Glissendorf
Glissendorf 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
#136,449
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
+6 bearers (+5.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,335 places
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
-12 bearers (-9.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,216 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #133,114 | 117 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #136,449 | 123 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.1%) | Down 3,335 places |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | -12 bearers (-9.8%) | Down 12,216 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 Glissendorf 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 | #136,449 | #148,665 | -9.0% |
| Count | 123 | 111 | -9.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Glissendorf bearers went from 123 to 111 (-9.8% change). The surname moved down 12,216 positions in the national ranking, going from #136,449 to #148,665.
FAQ
Glissendorf surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Glissendorf?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Glissendorf. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Glissendorf?
Glissendorf ranks #148,665 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 111 people with the surname Glissendorf. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Glissendorf.
Has Glissendorf become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Glissendorf went from 123 recorded bearers to 111. That is a decrease of 12 (-9.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #136,449 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Glissendorf?
Among Census respondents with the surname Glissendorf, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.8%) and Two or More Races (1.8%). 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 Glissendorf in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.4% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Glissendorf appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.4%), Hispanic (1.8%), Two or More Races (1.8%). 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 Glissendorf (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 Glissendorf mean?
A German locational surname derived from a place name meaning "slippery village." 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 Glissendorf (0.04 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 surname Glissendorf?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.