2000
#9,417
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,167
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.17
Rare Last name
Holsinger
An occupational surname for a maker or seller of wooden or leather goods, such as saddles or holsters.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,382 Americans carry the last name Holsinger. That puts it at #10,391 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.99 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 101,347 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Holsinger 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
3.4K
1 in 101,347
Census rank
#10,391
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,949 bearers of the surname Holsinger in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.99 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10391st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Holsinger, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.0%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Holsinger
The surname Holsinger is of German origin, derived from the Old High German word "holz" meaning "wood" or "forest," and the suffix "-inger," indicating a place of origin or residence. The name likely originated in the forested regions of central or southern Germany during the Middle Ages.
Historically, the Holsinger name can be traced back to the 13th century, with records indicating individuals bearing variations of the name, such as Holzinger, Holzinger, and Holzinger. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and local pronunciation.
One of the earliest known references to the name Holsinger appears in a 14th-century manuscript from the town of Nuremberg, which mentions a certain "Hans Holzinger" as a landowner and respected citizen. This suggests that the family may have had roots in the Bavaria region of Germany during this period.
In the 16th century, the Holsinger name gained prominence with the birth of Johann Holsinger (1520-1587), a renowned scholar and theologian who made significant contributions to the field of biblical studies. His works were widely circulated and influenced the intellectual discourse of the time.
Another notable figure was Hans Holsinger (1632-1701), a skilled woodcarver and furniture maker from the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. His intricate woodwork adorned many churches and noble residences, earning him a reputation as a master craftsman.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, several Holsinger families immigrated to the American colonies, often anglicizing the spelling to "Holsinger." One of the earliest recorded instances was Jacob Holsinger (1710-1782), who settled in Pennsylvania and became a prosperous farmer and landowner.
In the 19th century, the Holsinger name gained literary recognition with the birth of Henry Rathbone Holsinger (1832-1907), an American poet and journalist. His works, which often celebrated rural life and nature, were widely published in various literary magazines of the era.
Another notable figure was Wilhelm Holsinger (1861-1923), a German-born engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of early automotive technologies. His innovative designs and patents were instrumental in the growth of the automotive industry in the early 20th century.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Holsinger
Among Census respondents with the surname Holsinger, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.0%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Holsinger 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 Holsinger surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.6% · 2,761
- Two or more races3.0% · 87
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 52
- Black or African American0.7% · 20
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 18
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 11
Timeline
Historical Census data for Holsinger
Holsinger 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
#9,813
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,299
+132 bearers (+4.2%)
Per 100,000 1.12
Rank movement Down 396 places
2020
#10,391
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,949
-350 bearers (-10.6%)
Per 100,000 0.99
Rank movement Down 578 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,417 | 3,167 | 1.17 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,813 | 3,299 | 1.12 | +132 bearers (+4.2%) | Down 396 places |
| 2020 | #10,391 | 2,949 | 0.99 | -350 bearers (-10.6%) | Down 578 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 Holsinger 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 | #9,813 | #10,391 | -5.9% |
| Count | 3,299 | 2,949 | -10.6% |
| Per 100K | 1.12 | 0.99 | -11.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Holsinger bearers went from 3,299 to 2,949 (-10.6% change). The surname moved down 578 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,813 to #10,391.
FAQ
Holsinger surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Holsinger?
Name Census estimates that about 3,382 living Americans carry the surname Holsinger. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 101,347 residents.
How common is Holsinger?
Holsinger ranks #10,391 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.99 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 2,949 people with the surname Holsinger. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,382), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.99 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.99 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 Holsinger.
Has Holsinger become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Holsinger went from 3,299 recorded bearers to 2,949. That is a decrease of 350 (-10.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,813 to #10,391.
What does the Census say about the background of Holsinger?
Among Census respondents with the surname Holsinger, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.0%) and Hispanic (1.8%). 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 Holsinger in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.6% (2,761 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Holsinger appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.6%), Two or More Races (3.0%), Hispanic (1.8%). 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 Holsinger (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 Holsinger mean?
An occupational surname for a maker or seller of wooden or leather goods, such as saddles or holsters. 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 Holsinger (0.99 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 Holsinger?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Holsinger on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.