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

Hartz, 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 Hartz surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hartz in America

Hartz is the 7966th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hartz surname appeared 4,153 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Hartz.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hartz to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Hartz

The surname HARTZ is of German origin, and it is believed to have originated in the region of Harz, a mountainous area located in central Germany. The name is derived from the toponym "Harz," which itself is thought to be derived from the Old High German word "hart," meaning "hard" or "rocky," referring to the rugged terrain of the Harz Mountains.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname HARTZ can be traced back to the 13th century, when it appeared in various medieval records and documents from the Harz region. During this period, the name was often spelled in different variations, such as Hartz, Harz, Hartze, and Hartzen, reflecting the inconsistencies in spelling conventions at the time.

In the 14th century, the name HARTZ appeared in the Codex Diplomaticus Anhaltinus, a collection of historical documents from the principality of Anhalt, which encompassed parts of the Harz Mountains. This document mentions several individuals with the surname HARTZ, suggesting that the name was well-established in the region by that time.

One notable individual with the surname HARTZ was Johannes Hartz (c. 1450-1520), a German theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation. He was a follower of Martin Luther and worked closely with him in spreading the Reformation ideals throughout Germany.

Another prominent figure was Friedrich Wilhelm Hartz (1794-1859), a German botanist and explorer who conducted extensive research on the flora of South America. He made significant contributions to the study of plant life in Brazil and is credited with discovering several new plant species.

In the 19th century, the HARTZ surname gained further recognition with the birth of Eduard Hartz (1830-1883), a German industrialist and entrepreneur who founded the Hartz Mountain Corporation, a leading manufacturer of pet products. The company's name was derived from his surname and the Harz Mountains, where it was originally based.

The HARTZ surname also has connections to the Harz region's rich mining history. In the 16th century, a prominent figure named Hans Hartz (c. 1525-1590) was a skilled miner and mine operator in the Harz Mountains. His contributions to the local mining industry earned him a respected reputation in the region.

Throughout history, the HARTZ surname has been associated with various places and locations derived from the Harz Mountains, such as Hartzenbusch, Hartzburg, and Hartzgerode, further reflecting the name's strong ties to the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hartz

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

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 Hartz 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.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Hartz has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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

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

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