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

Hornung, 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 Hornung surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hornung in America

Hornung is the 11174th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hornung surname appeared 2,830 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Hornung.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hornung 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 Hornung

The surname Hornung is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "horn," meaning "horn." It is believed to have originated in the 13th century and was likely an occupational name for a horn maker or someone who worked with horns.

Hornung was initially found in various regions of Germany, particularly in areas such as Bavaria, Saxony, and Württemberg. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 14th century, with mentions in historical documents and records from that time period.

One of the earliest known references to the name Hornung can be found in the Deutsches Namenbuch, a comprehensive German name dictionary published in the late 19th century. The book cites several examples of the name's usage, including Johannes Hornung, who was mentioned in records from the city of Nürnberg in 1349.

Another notable mention of the name comes from the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony, which includes a reference to a certain Heinricus Hornung in the year 1421.

As the name spread throughout Germany and beyond, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Hornungh, Hornungk, and Hörnungk. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and local customs.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Hornung was Hans Hornung, a German painter who lived in the late 15th century and was known for his religious works. Another notable bearer of the name was Johann Hornung, a German theologian and philosopher who lived in the 16th century and wrote several influential works on theology and ethics.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in the records of the town of Schwabach in Bavaria, with a mention of a family named Hornung residing there in the year 1642. This family was likely involved in the local horn-making trade or related industries.

The 18th century saw the birth of Johann Caspar Hornung, a German engraver and painter who was born in 1737 and became renowned for his intricate copperplate engravings and portraits.

In the 19th century, one of the most notable individuals with the surname Hornung was Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann, better known as E.T.A. Hoffmann, a German Romantic author, composer, and artist who lived from 1776 to 1822. His works, such as the novel "The Life and Opinions of the Tomcat Murr," have had a lasting impact on literature and popular culture.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have borne the surname Hornung, which has its roots in the medieval German language and has been associated with various occupations and regions over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hornung

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

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

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

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