2000
#150,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Hillsberg
Locational surname derived from a place name referring to a hill or raised area.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 119 Americans carry the last name Hillsberg. That puts it at #153,590 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,880,289 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hillsberg 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
119
1 in 2,880,289
Census rank
#153,590
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
104
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 104 bearers of the surname Hillsberg in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 153590th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hillsberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.7%) and Two or More Races (3.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hillsberg
The surname Hillsberg is believed to have originated in Germany, specifically in the region of Bavaria, during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old German words "hill" and "berg," which translate to "hill" and "mountain" respectively, suggesting that the name was likely given to someone who lived near or on a hill or mountain.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hillsberg can be found in the Bavarian town records from the 14th century, where it was spelled as "Hillesberg." This variation in spelling was common during that time due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.
In the 15th century, the name Hillsberg appeared in the records of the Holy Roman Empire, indicating that individuals bearing this surname had gained some prominence and influence within the empire's territories.
During the 16th century, a notable figure named Hans Hillsberg (1512-1589) was a renowned blacksmith and metalworker in the city of Augsburg, known for his intricate and skillful craftsmanship.
The name Hillsberg also appeared in the Prussian military records of the 18th century, with Johann Hillsberg (1734-1802) serving as a decorated officer in the Prussian Army during the Seven Years' War.
In the 19th century, a prominent scientist named Wilhelm Hillsberg (1813-1876) made significant contributions to the field of botany, particularly in the study and classification of alpine flora found in the Bavarian Alps.
Another notable individual with the surname Hillsberg was Elise Hillsberg (1869-1943), a German writer and activist who advocated for women's rights and education during the early 20th century.
While the surname Hillsberg is relatively uncommon, it has been carried by individuals from various backgrounds and professions throughout history, reflecting the diverse and rich cultural tapestry of Germany and its neighboring regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hillsberg
Among Census respondents with the surname Hillsberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.7%) and Two or More Races (3.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Hillsberg 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 Hillsberg surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.5% · 90
- Hispanic or Latino7.7% · 8
- Two or more races3.8% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hillsberg
Hillsberg 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
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
+7 bearers (+7.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,192 places
2020
#153,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-3 bearers (-2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 962 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #150,436 | 100 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+7.0%) | Down 2,192 places |
| 2020 | #153,590 | 104 | 0.03 | -3 bearers (-2.8%) | Down 962 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 Hillsberg 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 | #152,628 | #153,590 | -0.6% |
| Count | 107 | 104 | -2.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hillsberg bearers went from 107 to 104 (-2.8% change). The surname moved down 962 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #153,590.
FAQ
Hillsberg surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hillsberg?
Name Census estimates that about 119 living Americans carry the surname Hillsberg. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,880,289 residents.
How common is Hillsberg?
Hillsberg ranks #153,590 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 104 people with the surname Hillsberg. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (119), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Hillsberg.
Has Hillsberg become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hillsberg went from 107 recorded bearers to 104. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #152,628 to #153,590.
What does the Census say about the background of Hillsberg?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hillsberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.7%) and Two or More Races (3.8%). 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 Hillsberg in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.5% (90 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hillsberg appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.5%), Hispanic (7.7%), Two or More Races (3.8%). 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 Hillsberg (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 Hillsberg mean?
Locational surname derived from a place name referring to a hill or raised area. 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 Hillsberg (0.03 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 Americans have the surname Hillsberg?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.