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

Heidelberg, 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 Heidelberg surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Heidelberg in America

Heidelberg is the 18262nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Heidelberg surname appeared 1,521 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 Heidelberg.

We can also compare 2010 data for Heidelberg 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 Heidelberg

The surname Heidelberg originated in Germany, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the place name Heidelberg, a city located in the state of Baden-Württemberg, in the southwestern region of Germany. The name Heidelberg itself is a combination of the German words "Heidel" meaning "heath" or "clearing," and "Berg" meaning "mountain" or "hill."

The city of Heidelberg has a rich history that can be traced back to the 5th century, when it was first mentioned in written records. Over the centuries, it has been an important center of trade, education, and culture. The University of Heidelberg, one of the oldest universities in Europe, was founded in 1386 and has played a significant role in the intellectual and academic life of the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Heidelberg can be found in the Codex Manesse, a medieval manuscript dating back to the early 14th century. This illustrated collection of Middle High German courtly love lyrics includes works by several poets who hailed from the city of Heidelberg.

In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the surname Heidelberg was Johannes Heidelberger, a German monk and theologian who lived from 1430 to 1495. He was the author of the Heidelberg Catechism, a influential Protestant confessional document published in 1563.

Another notable individual with the surname Heidelberg was Friedrich Heidelberger (1868-1941), a German chemist who made significant contributions to the study of proteins and enzymes. He is particularly known for his work on the structure and properties of amino acids.

In the realm of literature, the German writer and poet Carl Heidelberger (1788-1865) gained recognition for his literary works, including the novel "Der Monch von Klosterbrunn" (The Monk of Klosterbrunn) and several collections of poetry.

The surname Heidelberg has also been associated with notable figures in the arts and architecture. One such individual was Johann Jakob Heidelberger (1744-1805), a German architect who designed several notable buildings in the city of Heidelberg, including the Old University and the Jesuit Church.

While the surname Heidelberg originated in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through immigration and migration. However, its roots can be traced back to the historic city of Heidelberg, which has left an indelible mark on the cultural and intellectual heritage of Germany.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Heidelberg

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

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

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

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