2000
#140,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Jesberg
German place name derived from a location.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 116 Americans carry the last name Jesberg. That puts it at #155,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,954,779 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Jesberg 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
116
1 in 2,954,779
Census rank
#155,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
101
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 101 bearers of the surname Jesberg in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Jesberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Jesberg
The surname "JESBERG" originates from Germany, specifically the region of Hesse. Its earliest known use dates back to the 16th century. The name is believed to be derived from the German word "Jes," meaning a steep slope or incline, combined with the word "Berg," meaning mountain or hill. This suggests that the surname likely referred to someone who lived near a steep hill or mountainous area.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "JESBERG" can be found in the town records of Marburg, Hesse, from the year 1587, where a Hans Jesberg is mentioned as a resident. Another early reference is in the church records of Kirchhain, Hesse, from 1612, where a Johannes Jesberg is listed as a baptized child.
In the 17th century, there are mentions of a family named Jesberg residing in the village of Rauschenberg, near Marburg. This family is believed to have played a role in the local governance and administration of the area during that time.
One notable individual with the surname "JESBERG" was Johann Friedrich Jesberg, a German theologian and author who lived from 1720 to 1788. He wrote several works on religious topics and served as a pastor in various churches in Hesse.
Another significant figure was Wilhelm Jesberg, a German military officer and statesman who lived from 1802 to 1876. He served in the Prussian army and later held important positions in the government of the Grand Duchy of Hesse.
In the 19th century, a family named Jesberg owned a prominent winery in the town of Rüdesheim am Rhein, known for producing high-quality Riesling wines. The winery was established in 1818 and remained in operation until the mid-20th century.
A more recent individual of note was Hildegard Jesberg, a German artist and sculptor who lived from 1888 to 1963. She was known for her expressionist works and was part of the avant-garde art scene in Berlin during the early 20th century.
It is worth mentioning that the name "JESBERG" is sometimes found with variations in spelling, such as "Jessberg" or "Jesperg," particularly in older records. Additionally, there are a few small towns and villages in Hesse that bear the name "Jesberg," suggesting a connection to the surname's origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Jesberg
Among Census respondents with the surname Jesberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Jesberg 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 Jesberg surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.1% · 90
- Two or more races5.0% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander4.0% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Jesberg
Jesberg 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
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-3 bearers (-2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 13,013 places
2020
#155,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-5 bearers (-4.7%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 1,501 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #140,756 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.8%) | Down 13,013 places |
| 2020 | #155,270 | 101 | 0.03 | -5 bearers (-4.7%) | Down 1,501 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 Jesberg 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 | #153,769 | #155,270 | -1.0% |
| Count | 106 | 101 | -4.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -15.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Jesberg bearers went from 106 to 101 (-4.7% change). The surname moved down 1,501 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #155,270.
FAQ
Jesberg surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Jesberg?
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the surname Jesberg. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,954,779 residents.
How common is Jesberg?
Jesberg ranks #155,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 101 people with the surname Jesberg. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (116), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Jesberg.
Has Jesberg become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Jesberg went from 106 recorded bearers to 101. That is a decrease of 5 (-4.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #153,769 to #155,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Jesberg?
Among Census respondents with the surname Jesberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (4.0%). 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 Jesberg in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.1% (90 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Jesberg appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.1%), Two or More Races (5.0%), Asian/Pacific Islander (4.0%). 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 Jesberg (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 Jesberg mean?
German place name derived from a location. 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 Jesberg (0.03 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 many Americans have the surname Jesberg?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.