2000
#131,366
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Hankwitz
A habitational surname indicating someone hailing from a place named Hankwitz.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Hankwitz. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hankwitz 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Hankwitz in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hankwitz, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.3%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hankwitz
The surname "HANKWITZ" has its origins in the German-speaking regions of Europe, likely originating in the late medieval or early modern period. The name is believed to derive from the Germanic elements "han" or "han-ko," which were variations of the personal name "Johann" or "John," combined with the suffix "-witz," indicating a place of origin or familial estate.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the town of Hankowice, located in the historical region of Silesia, which is now divided between Poland and the Czech Republic. This place name, which bears a striking resemblance to the surname "HANKWITZ," suggests that the name may have originated as a locative surname, denoting a person's place of birth or residence.
Historical records from the 16th and 17th centuries in the region of Silesia and neighboring areas of Germany and Poland mention individuals with the surname "HANKWITZ" or variations thereof, such as "Hankowicz" or "Hankovitz." These records include church registers, tax records, and legal documents, providing insight into the lives and activities of those bearing the name during this period.
One notable figure from history bearing the surname "HANKWITZ" was Johann Christoph Hankwitz (1677-1751), a German theologian and author who served as a pastor in Breslau (now Wrocław, Poland). His works included theological treatises and sermons, and he played a significant role in the intellectual and religious life of Silesia during his lifetime.
Another individual of note was Wilhelm Hankwitz (1811-1867), a German artist and painter known for his landscape and genre paintings. Born in Breslau, he studied at the Prussian Academy of Arts in Berlin and became a respected figure in the artistic circles of his time.
In the realm of politics and government, one can find mentions of Friedrich Hankwitz (1822-1891), a Prussian statesman and jurist who served as the Minister of Justice in the Kingdom of Prussia from 1879 to 1888.
Moving into the 20th century, the name "HANKWITZ" continued to appear in various contexts. For instance, Erich Hankwitz (1902-1986) was a German engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of radar technology during World War II.
Additionally, Hans Hankwitz (1913-1991) was a German football player and manager who played as a defender for several clubs in Germany, including Hertha BSC and Hamburger SV, and later coached several teams in the Bundesliga.
While the surname "HANKWITZ" may not be among the most common or widely recognized surnames, its roots can be traced back to the German-speaking regions of Central Europe, where it has a rich history spanning several centuries. The name's journey through time serves as a testament to the cultural and linguistic diversity that has shaped the tapestry of European surnames.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hankwitz
Among Census respondents with the surname Hankwitz, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.3%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Hankwitz 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 Hankwitz surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.5% · 98
- Two or more races6.3% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.7% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hankwitz
Hankwitz 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
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
-3 bearers (-2.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,783 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-4 bearers (-3.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,805 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #131,366 | 119 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.5%) | Down 11,783 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.4%) | Down 4,805 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 Hankwitz 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 | #143,149 | #147,954 | -3.4% |
| Count | 116 | 112 | -3.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hankwitz bearers went from 116 to 112 (-3.4% change). The surname moved down 4,805 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #147,954.
FAQ
Hankwitz surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hankwitz?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Hankwitz. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Hankwitz?
Hankwitz ranks #147,954 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 112 people with the surname Hankwitz. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), 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 Hankwitz.
Has Hankwitz become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hankwitz went from 116 recorded bearers to 112. That is a decrease of 4 (-3.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #143,149 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Hankwitz?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hankwitz, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.3%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (2.7%). 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 Hankwitz in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.5% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hankwitz appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.5%), Two or More Races (6.3%), American Indian/Alaska Native (2.7%). 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 Hankwitz (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 Hankwitz mean?
A habitational surname indicating someone hailing from a place named Hankwitz. 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 Hankwitz (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 share the surname Hankwitz?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.