2000
#23,568
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,004
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.37
Rare Last name
Houseknecht
A German surname meaning a male servant or man employed in a household.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,133 Americans carry the last name Houseknecht. That puts it at #26,068 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.33 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 302,519 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Houseknecht 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
1.1K
1 in 302,519
Census rank
#26,068
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
988
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 988 bearers of the surname Houseknecht in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.33 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 26068th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Houseknecht, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.5%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Houseknecht
The surname Houseknecht is of German origin, derived from the compound word "Hausknecht," which literally translates to "house servant" or "domestic servant." The name likely originated in the Middle Ages, during a time when it was common for households to employ servants for various tasks.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Houseknecht can be traced back to the 16th century in various regions of Germany. Historical records from this period often referred to individuals by their occupations or roles within a household, and the name Houseknecht was likely assigned to those who served as domestic servants or attendants.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, as the use of surnames became more widespread, the name Houseknecht began to appear more frequently in official records and documents. One notable example is Johann Christoph Houseknecht (1695-1767), a German theologian and philosopher who authored several works on religious and philosophical subjects.
As immigration from Europe to North America increased in the 19th century, many individuals bearing the surname Houseknecht made their way to the United States and Canada. One such individual was Jacob Houseknecht (1817-1888), a farmer and landowner in Pennsylvania who played a significant role in the development of the local community.
Another notable figure with the surname Houseknecht was William Houseknecht (1867-1943), a businessman and philanthropist from Pennsylvania. He founded the Houseknecht Furniture Company and made significant contributions to various charitable organizations in his community.
In the 20th century, the name Houseknecht continued to be found in various parts of the world, though its frequency diminished as occupational surnames became less common. One prominent individual with this surname was Walter Houseknecht (1901-1988), an American artist and illustrator known for his works depicting life in rural America.
While the surname Houseknecht may have originated from humble beginnings, it has since been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, each contributing to the rich tapestry of history and culture associated with this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Houseknecht
Among Census respondents with the surname Houseknecht, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.5%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Houseknecht 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 Houseknecht surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.7% · 955
- Hispanic or Latino1.5% · 15
- Two or more races1.2% · 12
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 4
- Black or African American0.1% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Houseknecht
Houseknecht 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
#24,388
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,027
+23 bearers (+2.3%)
Per 100,000 0.35
Rank movement Down 820 places
2020
#26,068
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 988
-39 bearers (-3.8%)
Per 100,000 0.33
Rank movement Down 1,680 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #23,568 | 1,004 | 0.37 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #24,388 | 1,027 | 0.35 | +23 bearers (+2.3%) | Down 820 places |
| 2020 | #26,068 | 988 | 0.33 | -39 bearers (-3.8%) | Down 1,680 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 Houseknecht 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 | #24,388 | #26,068 | -6.9% |
| Count | 1,027 | 988 | -3.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.35 | 0.33 | -5.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Houseknecht bearers went from 1,027 to 988 (-3.8% change). The surname moved down 1,680 positions in the national ranking, going from #24,388 to #26,068.
FAQ
Houseknecht surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Houseknecht?
Name Census estimates that about 1,133 living Americans carry the surname Houseknecht. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 302,519 residents.
How common is Houseknecht?
Houseknecht ranks #26,068 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.33 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 988 people with the surname Houseknecht. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,133), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.33 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.33 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 Houseknecht.
Has Houseknecht become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Houseknecht went from 1,027 recorded bearers to 988. That is a decrease of 39 (-3.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #24,388 to #26,068.
What does the Census say about the background of Houseknecht?
Among Census respondents with the surname Houseknecht, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.5%) and Two or More Races (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 Houseknecht in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.7% (955 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Houseknecht appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.7%), Hispanic (1.5%), Two or More Races (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 Houseknecht (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 Houseknecht mean?
A German surname meaning a male servant or man employed in a household. 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 Houseknecht (0.33 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 Houseknecht?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Houseknecht on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.