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

Horenstein, 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 Horenstein surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Horenstein in America

Horenstein is the 61585th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Horenstein surname appeared 326 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 Horenstein.

We can also compare 2010 data for Horenstein 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.

The history of the last name Horenstein

The surname HORENSTEIN has its origins in the German language and can be traced back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the region of Saxony, located in modern-day eastern Germany. The name is derived from the Germanic root word "horen," which means "to hear" or "to listen." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to an occupation or role, such as a messenger or a watchman who had to be attentive to sounds and calls.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the HORENSTEIN surname appears in the Stadtbuch (City Book) of Erfurt, a city in present-day Thuringia, Germany. The entry, dated 1492, mentions a certain Hans Horenstein, who was a merchant and citizen of Erfurt. This document provides valuable insight into the presence of the surname in the region during the late 15th century.

In the 16th century, the HORENSTEIN name can be found in various registers and records from the towns and villages of Saxony. For example, in 1547, a Johann Horenstein is listed as a landowner in the village of Hohnstein, situated in the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge) region. This area was known for its rich mining industry, and it is possible that some individuals bearing the HORENSTEIN surname were involved in mining-related activities.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the HORENSTEIN name spread beyond Saxony and became more widespread in other German states. One notable figure from this period was Friedrich August Horenstein (1710-1783), a Lutheran theologian and author who served as the rector of the Gymnasium in Zittau, a town in Saxony near the present-day border with Poland.

As the 19th century dawned, the HORENSTEIN surname continued to be represented across various fields and professions. One prominent individual was the German painter Carl August Horenstein (1811-1876), whose works were exhibited in several art galleries and museums of his time.

Another significant figure was the Austrian-American composer and conductor David Horenstein (1908-1986). Born in Vienna, he emigrated to the United States in the 1930s and became known for his compositions and his work with various orchestras, including the San Francisco Symphony and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

It is worth noting that variations in the spelling of the HORENSTEIN surname have existed throughout its history. Some alternative spellings include Hohrenstein, Horensteyn, and Horenstayn, reflecting regional differences and changes in orthography over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Horenstein

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

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 Horenstein was:

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

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

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

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