2010
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Herschlag
A European surname derived from the Middle High German words for "army" and "battle."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Herschlag. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Herschlag 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Herschlag in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Herschlag, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Herschlag
The surname Herschlag is of German origin and traces its roots back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the German states, particularly in areas like Bavaria and Saxony. The name is derived from the German words "Hersch" meaning "master" or "lord," and "lag" meaning "place" or "location." Thus, the name Herschlag likely referred to a place or settlement owned or governed by a master or lord.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Herschlag can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of historical documents from the region of Saxony, dating back to the 13th century. This document references a certain "Heinrich von Herschlag," suggesting the name's existence during that time period.
In the 14th century, the name Herschlag appeared in various town records and land registers across the German states. For instance, the town of Herschlag in Lower Saxony was documented as early as the 1300s, potentially lending its name to the surname.
Notable individuals with the surname Herschlag include Johann Herschlag (1587-1647), a German theologian and author who wrote extensively on Protestant theology. Another prominent figure was Elise Herschlag (1812-1884), a German painter and illustrator renowned for her detailed botanical illustrations.
In the 16th century, the name Herschlag underwent several variations in spelling, such as "Herschlage," "Herschlaghe," and "Herschlage." These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.
The Herschlag family also had a presence in other parts of Europe, as evidenced by the birth of Hans Herschlag in the city of Zurich, Switzerland, in 1623. His descendants later migrated to other parts of Europe, further spreading the name.
Another notable individual was Friedrich Herschlag (1785-1862), a German entrepreneur and industrialist who established a successful textile manufacturing business in the city of Aachen. His business legacy contributed to the economic growth of the region during the 19th century.
While the surname Herschlag is not as common today as it once was, it remains a part of German heritage and has a rich history spanning several centuries, with its origins deeply rooted in the medieval period and the German states.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Herschlag
Among Census respondents with the surname Herschlag, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Herschlag 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 Herschlag surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.9% · 111
- Two or more races3.4% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Herschlag
Herschlag appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+2 bearers (+1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 129 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.7%) | Down 129 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 Herschlag 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 | #144,141 | #144,270 | -0.1% |
| Count | 115 | 117 | 1.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Herschlag bearers went from 115 to 117 (+1.7% change). The surname moved down 129 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #144,270.
FAQ
Herschlag surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Herschlag?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Herschlag. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Herschlag?
Herschlag ranks #144,270 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 117 people with the surname Herschlag. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), 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 Herschlag.
Has Herschlag become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Herschlag went from 115 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 2 (+1.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Herschlag?
Among Census respondents with the surname Herschlag, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (1.7%). 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 Herschlag in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.9% (111 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Herschlag appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.9%), Two or More Races (3.4%), Hispanic (1.7%). 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 Herschlag (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 Herschlag mean?
A European surname derived from the Middle High German words for "army" and "battle." 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 Herschlag (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 are called Herschlag?
You can see how many people have the surname Herschlag on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.