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

Hurwitz, 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 Hurwitz surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hurwitz in America

Hurwitz is the 10851st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hurwitz surname appeared 2,935 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 Hurwitz.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hurwitz 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 Hurwitz

The surname Hurwitz originated from the Yiddish language and is derived from the Hebrew word "chur," meaning hole or pit. It first appeared in Eastern Europe, particularly in areas like Poland, Russia, and Ukraine, where there were sizable Jewish populations during the Middle Ages.

The earliest known record of the Hurwitz name dates back to the 16th century, but it's possible that variations of the spelling existed earlier. Some of these variations include Hurwic, Hurwich, and Hurewicz. The name may have been adopted by families living near a physical pit or hole, or it could have been an occupational surname given to those involved in digging or excavation work.

One of the earliest notable mentions of the Hurwitz name can be found in the Pinkas Hakehillot, a historical Jewish community record from the 17th century. This document references a Rabbi Shlomo Hurwitz, who lived in the town of Krakow, Poland.

In the 18th century, a prominent figure named Samuel Hurwitz (1718-1786) was born in Kraków, Poland. He was a noted Talmudic scholar and rabbinical authority, and his works were widely studied in Jewish communities throughout Europe.

During the 19th century, the Hurwitz name spread beyond Eastern Europe as many Jewish families emigrated to other parts of the world. One such individual was Shmuel Hurwitz (1840-1909), who was born in Ukraine and later became a respected rabbi in London, England.

Another notable Hurwitz was Zvi Hirsch Hurwitz (1856-1923), a Polish-born Hebrew writer and educator who lived in Palestine (now Israel) during the early stages of the Zionist movement.

In the 20th century, the name Hurwitz gained recognition in various fields. For example, Leo Hurwitz (1909-1991) was an American filmmaker and documentary producer known for his socially conscious works.

Overall, the surname Hurwitz has a rich history rooted in Eastern European Jewish communities, with records dating back several centuries. While its precise origin remains unclear, the name has been carried by numerous scholars, rabbis, and influential figures throughout the years.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hurwitz

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

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

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

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