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

Idleman, 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 Idleman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Idleman in America

Idleman is the 45026th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Idleman surname appeared 476 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 Idleman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Idleman 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 Idleman

The surname Idleman is believed to have originated in Germany, specifically in the regions of Saxony and Silesia, during the 16th century. The name is derived from the German word "idel," meaning "empty" or "idle," and the suffix "-man," indicating a person or occupation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Idleman name can be found in the archives of the city of Dresden, where a record from 1572 mentions a certain Hans Idleman, a farmer and landowner in the surrounding areas. This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who were perceived as idle or unproductive, perhaps referring to landless peasants or those without a specific trade.

Another early reference to the Idleman surname appears in the church records of the town of Görlitz, located in modern-day Germany near the Polish border. These records, dating back to the late 16th century, mention several Idleman families residing in the area, indicating that the name had already begun to spread across the region.

In the 17th century, the Idleman name can be found in various German-language manuscripts and documents, such as tax records and property deeds. One notable individual from this period was Johann Idleman (1625-1698), a respected scholar and theologian who authored several treatises on religious and philosophical subjects.

As the Idleman name spread throughout Germany and other parts of Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, including Idellman, Idelmann, and Idlemann. Some of these variations may have been influenced by regional dialects or local pronunciations.

One of the earliest known individuals with the Idleman surname in America was Johann Idleman (1720-1785), a German immigrant who settled in Pennsylvania in the mid-18th century. Johann and his family were among the many German settlers who helped establish the vibrant Pennsylvania Dutch community in the region.

Another notable Idleman was Friedrich Idleman (1792-1868), a German-born artist and engraver who gained recognition for his intricate woodcut illustrations and printmaking techniques. His works can be found in several museums and private collections across Europe.

In the 19th century, the Idleman name appeared in various records and documents related to the German-American community in the United States. One such individual was Carl Idleman (1832-1901), a successful businessman and entrepreneur who founded a prosperous manufacturing company in Ohio.

As the centuries passed, the Idleman surname continued to spread across different parts of the world, with individuals bearing this name leaving their mark in various fields and professions. However, the name's origins can be traced back to its humble beginnings in the German regions of Saxony and Silesia, where it first emerged as a descriptive surname during the 16th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Idleman

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!