2000
#97,848
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 172
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Hollenstein
An locational surname derived from places named with the German words "hohl" (hollow) and "stein" (stone).
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 192 Americans carry the last name Hollenstein. That puts it at #111,996 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,785,179 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hollenstein 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
192
1 in 1,785,179
Census rank
#111,996
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
167
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 167 bearers of the surname Hollenstein in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 111996th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hollenstein, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Black (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hollenstein
The surname Hollenstein originated in the German-speaking regions of Europe, specifically in Switzerland and Germany. It is a locational surname, derived from the place name "Hollenstein," which means "hollow stone" or "stone hollow." This suggests that the name may have originated from a geographical feature, such as a cave or a valley surrounded by rocky terrain.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Hollenstein can be traced back to the 16th century in various Swiss and German records. One notable example is the mention of a Johannes Hollenstein in a document from the town of Bern, Switzerland, dated 1538. Another early reference is found in the parish records of the village of Hollenstein in the Salzburg region of Austria, where the surname was likely adopted by local residents.
In the 17th century, the surname Hollenstein appeared in various historical records across Switzerland and Germany. One notable individual from this period was Hans Hollenstein (1610-1672), a Swiss artist and engraver renowned for his intricate woodcuts and etchings depicting religious and mythological scenes.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the surname Hollenstein continued to be found in various parts of German-speaking Europe. One notable figure was Johann Georg Hollenstein (1768-1838), a German philosopher and author who wrote extensively on ethics and moral philosophy.
Another individual of note was Johann Baptist Hollenstein (1810-1879), an Austrian Catholic priest and theologian who served as the Bishop of Linz from 1865 until his death. His contributions to the theological discourse of his time were significant.
In the 20th century, the surname Hollenstein gained recognition through the achievements of several individuals. One such notable figure was Rudolf Hollenstein (1895-1972), a Swiss architect and urban planner who played a pivotal role in the reconstruction and development of several Swiss cities after World War II.
The surname Hollenstein has also been associated with various place names and geographical features throughout its history. For example, the village of Hollenstein an der Ybbs in Lower Austria, Austria, is likely derived from the same root as the surname, reflecting the area's rocky terrain and potential connection to the origin of the name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hollenstein
Among Census respondents with the surname Hollenstein, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Black (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Hollenstein 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 Hollenstein surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.2% · 154
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 7
- Black or African American1.2% · 2
- Two or more races1.2% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hollenstein
Hollenstein 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
#100,302
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 180
+8 bearers (+4.7%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 2,454 places
2020
#111,996
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 167
-13 bearers (-7.2%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 11,694 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #97,848 | 172 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #100,302 | 180 | 0.06 | +8 bearers (+4.7%) | Down 2,454 places |
| 2020 | #111,996 | 167 | 0.06 | -13 bearers (-7.2%) | Down 11,694 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 Hollenstein 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 | #100,302 | #111,996 | -11.7% |
| Count | 180 | 167 | -7.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.06 | -6.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hollenstein bearers went from 180 to 167 (-7.2% change). The surname moved down 11,694 positions in the national ranking, going from #100,302 to #111,996.
FAQ
Hollenstein surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hollenstein?
Name Census estimates that about 192 living Americans carry the surname Hollenstein. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,785,179 residents.
How common is Hollenstein?
Hollenstein ranks #111,996 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.06 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 167 people with the surname Hollenstein. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (192), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.06 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 Hollenstein.
Has Hollenstein become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hollenstein went from 180 recorded bearers to 167. That is a decrease of 13 (-7.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #100,302 to #111,996.
What does the Census say about the background of Hollenstein?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hollenstein, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Black (1.2%). 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 Hollenstein in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.2% (154 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hollenstein appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.2%), Hispanic (4.2%), Black (1.2%). 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 Hollenstein (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 Hollenstein mean?
An locational surname derived from places named with the German words "hohl" (hollow) and "stein" (stone). 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 Hollenstein (0.06 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 Hollenstein?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Hollenstein on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.