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

Jentzen, 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 Jentzen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jentzen in America

Jentzen is the 72105th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jentzen surname appeared 270 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 Jentzen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jentzen 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 Jentzen

The surname Jentzen is of German origin, with roots tracing back to the 14th century. It is believed to have originated in the northern regions of Germany, particularly in areas around Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein. The name is thought to be derived from the Low German word "jent," meaning "person" or "individual."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Jentzen name can be found in the "Bürgermatrikel der Stadt Hamburg," a historical record of citizens in Hamburg, dating back to the mid-15th century. This document mentions a certain "Hans Jentzen," suggesting the name's presence in the region during that time period.

In the 16th century, the Jentzen name appeared in various church records and legal documents across northern Germany. A notable figure was Johann Jentzen, a merchant and landowner who lived in the town of Lübeck between 1542 and 1612.

The 17th century saw the emergence of the Jentzen family in the town of Kiel, where they held prominent positions in the local government and mercantile trade. One of the most illustrious members was Matthias Jentzen (1621-1688), a respected jurist and mayor of Kiel.

As the name spread across Germany, variations in spelling began to emerge, such as "Jentzsch" and "Jentsch." These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and local pronunciations.

In the 18th century, the Jentzen name gained further prominence with the birth of Karl Jentzen (1737-1819), a renowned German composer and organist who served at the court of the Elector of Saxony in Dresden.

Moving into the 19th century, the Jentzen name continued to be associated with notable figures, including August Jentzen (1813-1888), a German-American businessman and philanthropist who established several successful enterprises in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Another distinguished individual bearing the Jentzen surname was Otto Jentzen (1876-1945), a German naval officer who played a significant role in the development of submarine warfare tactics during World War I.

While the name Jentzen may have evolved and spread to various parts of the world over the centuries, its roots can be traced back to the northern regions of Germany, where it emerged as a distinct surname with a rich historical legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jentzen

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

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

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

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