Hildinger last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Hildinger

A German surname derived from a place name or topography related to hills or mounds.

Hildinger, 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 Hildinger surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hildinger in America

Hildinger is the 97671st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hildinger surname appeared 186 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Hildinger.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hildinger 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.

20102000Change (%)
Rank976718808310.32%
Count186196-5.24%
Proportion per 100k0.060.07-15.38%

The history of the last name Hildinger

The surname Hildinger originated in Germany during the Middle Ages. It is believed to have been derived from the Old German personal name "Hildinger," which was composed of the elements "hildi," meaning "battle," and "ger," meaning "spear." This suggests that the name was initially borne by a skilled warrior or soldier.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Hildinger surname can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of historical documents from the 12th century. Here, it is mentioned in reference to a landowner named Hildinger von Mainz, who lived in the region of Mainz, Germany.

During the 13th century, the name appears in various church records and tax rolls from the German states of Bavaria and Saxony. Notably, a prominent figure named Hildinger von Nürnberg (1220-1289) was a respected knight and advisor to the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II.

In the 14th century, the Hildinger surname began to spread beyond Germany's borders. Records from this period indicate that a family bearing this name had settled in the Dutch province of Friesland, where they owned a significant estate near the town of Leeuwarden.

One of the most renowned individuals with the Hildinger surname was Hans Hildinger (1456-1522), a renowned German painter and engraver who was active in Nuremberg during the Renaissance. His intricate woodcuts and religious artwork were highly sought after by patrons across Europe.

Another notable figure was Katharina Hildinger (1512-1578), a German herbalist and midwife who was widely respected for her knowledge of medicinal plants and natural remedies. Her writings and teachings influenced generations of healers and practitioners of traditional medicine.

In the 17th century, the Hildinger name appeared in various records from the German states of Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate. One notable individual from this period was Johann Hildinger (1625-1698), a Lutheran theologian and professor at the University of Marburg.

As the centuries passed, the Hildinger surname continued to spread across Europe and eventually to other parts of the world through emigration. Despite its geographical dispersion, the name has maintained its connection to its Germanic roots and the historical legacy of those who bore it in centuries past.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hildinger

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

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 Hildinger was:

Race/EthnicityPercentageTotal Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only96.24%179
Non-Hispanic Black Only(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only0.00%0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native0.00%0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races(S)%(S)
Hispanic Origin2.69%5

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 Hildinger has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

20102000Change (%)
White96.24%98.98%-2.81%
Black(S)%0.00%(S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander0.00%0.00%0.00%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.00%0.00%0.00%
Two or More Races(S)%(S)%(S)%
Hispanic2.69%(S)%(S)%

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

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

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