2000
#12,393
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,298
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.85
Rare Last name
Hertzog
Derived from the German word for "duke," indicating a person who served or was associated with a duke.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,566 Americans carry the last name Hertzog. That puts it at #13,103 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.75 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 133,575 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hertzog 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
2.6K
1 in 133,575
Census rank
#13,103
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,238 bearers of the surname Hertzog in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.75 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13103rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hertzog, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hertzog
The surname HERTZOG is of German origin, dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the German word "Herzog," which means "duke" or "leader." The name was likely first adopted by someone who worked in the service of a duke or held a position of leadership in their community.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the HERTZOG surname can be found in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Bavaria, Germany. Records from the 1500s mention a family by the name of HERTZOG residing in the area. It is believed that this family may have held a position of authority or worked under the local duke at the time.
In the 17th century, the HERTZOG name appeared in various records and manuscripts throughout the German states. For example, a man named Johannes HERTZOG was documented in the town of Erfurt in 1632. He was a respected merchant and landowner in the region.
As the HERTZOG surname spread across Germany and other parts of Europe, variations in spelling emerged, such as HERTZOG, HERTZOGH, and HERZOGH. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and the preferences of scribes who recorded the name.
One notable figure bearing the HERTZOG surname was Johann Wilhelm HERTZOG (1667-1751), a German composer and organist. He was born in Saxony and is best known for his contributions to the development of the church cantata.
In the 19th century, the HERTZOG name gained prominence in South Africa with the arrival of German immigrants. One of the most famous individuals with this surname was James Barry Munnik HERTZOG (1866-1942), a South African politician and Prime Minister from 1924 to 1939. He played a significant role in the establishment of the Union of South Africa and the promotion of Afrikaner nationalism.
Another notable HERTZOG was Carl Friedrich HERTZOG (1808-1879), a German architect and urban planner. He was responsible for the design and construction of several prominent buildings in Berlin, including the Reichstag and the Old National Gallery.
In the 20th century, the HERTZOG surname continued to be represented by individuals in various fields. For example, Hendrik Verwoerd HERTZOG (1901-1966) was a South African politician and Prime Minister from 1958 to 1966, known for his role in promoting and enforcing the apartheid system.
Overall, the HERTZOG surname has a rich history, tracing its roots back to Germany and evolving over centuries as it spread across Europe and beyond. While its origins may have been tied to positions of authority and leadership, the name has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, leaving a lasting impact on the communities and cultures they have been a part of.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hertzog
Among Census respondents with the surname Hertzog, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Hertzog 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 Hertzog surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.3% · 2,021
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 76
- Two or more races2.8% · 62
- Black or African American2.2% · 50
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 25
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hertzog
Hertzog 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
#13,466
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,261
-37 bearers (-1.6%)
Per 100,000 0.77
Rank movement Down 1,073 places
2020
#13,103
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,238
-23 bearers (-1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.75
Rank movement Up 363 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,393 | 2,298 | 0.85 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,466 | 2,261 | 0.77 | -37 bearers (-1.6%) | Down 1,073 places |
| 2020 | #13,103 | 2,238 | 0.75 | -23 bearers (-1.0%) | Up 363 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 Hertzog 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 | #13,466 | #13,103 | 2.7% |
| Count | 2,261 | 2,238 | -1.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.77 | 0.75 | -2.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hertzog bearers went from 2,261 to 2,238 (-1.0% change). The surname moved up 363 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,466 to #13,103.
FAQ
Hertzog surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hertzog?
Name Census estimates that about 2,566 living Americans carry the surname Hertzog. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 133,575 residents.
How common is Hertzog?
Hertzog ranks #13,103 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.75 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,238 people with the surname Hertzog. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,566), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.75 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.75 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Hertzog.
Has Hertzog become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hertzog went from 2,261 recorded bearers to 2,238. That is a decrease of 23 (-1.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #13,466 to #13,103.
What does the Census say about the background of Hertzog?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hertzog, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Hertzog in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.3% (2,021 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hertzog appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.3%), Hispanic (3.4%), Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Hertzog (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 Hertzog mean?
Derived from the German word for "duke," indicating a person who served or was associated with a duke. 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 Hertzog (0.75 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 common is the surname Hertzog?
Want to know how many people are called Hertzog? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.