2000
#146,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Katzung
A German surname derived from the word "Katze" meaning cat.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Katzung. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Katzung 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
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Katzung in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Katzung, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Katzung
The surname KATZUNG originated in Germany, with its earliest known usage dating back to the late 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the German words "Katze," meaning cat, and "Ung," a suffix often used to denote a place of origin or occupation.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the KATZUNG surname can be found in a manuscript from the city of Nuremberg in 1598, where it referred to a family residing in the town's outskirts. The name was likely associated with an individual or family involved in activities related to cats, such as breeding, trading, or caring for them.
In the 17th century, the KATZUNG name appeared in various records across southern Germany, particularly in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Some notable individuals bearing this surname during this period include Johann KATZUNG (1625-1692), a respected clockmaker from Augsburg, and Anna Maria KATZUNG (1648-1711), a renowned herbalist from Freiburg.
As the KATZUNG family spread across Germany in the 18th and 19th centuries, variations in the spelling of the surname emerged, such as KATZUNGEN, KATZING, and KATZINGER. One prominent figure from this era was Karl Friedrich KATZUNG (1784-1857), a celebrated painter from Dresden whose landscapes and portraits were highly sought after by aristocratic patrons.
The 19th century saw the KATZUNG name gain recognition beyond Germany's borders. Heinrich KATZUNG (1820-1898), a German-born architect, gained fame for his contributions to the design of several iconic buildings in Vienna, Austria, including the Viennese Opera House.
Moving into the 20th century, the KATZUNG surname continued to be associated with accomplished individuals, such as Erwin KATZUNG (1909-1995), a renowned chemist and academic who made significant contributions to the field of organic synthesis.
While the KATZUNG surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through immigration and diaspora, ensuring a lasting legacy for this name and its unique origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Katzung
Among Census respondents with the surname Katzung, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Katzung 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 Katzung surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.6% · 103
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Katzung
Katzung 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
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+6 bearers (+5.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,384 places
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 51 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #146,011 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.8%) | Down 3,384 places |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 51 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 Katzung 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 | #149,395 | #149,446 | -0.0% |
| Count | 110 | 110 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Katzung bearers went from 110 to 110 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 51 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #149,446.
FAQ
Katzung surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Katzung?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Katzung. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Katzung?
Katzung ranks #149,446 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 110 people with the surname Katzung. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Katzung.
Has Katzung become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Katzung went from 110 recorded bearers to 110. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #149,395 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Katzung?
Among Census respondents with the surname Katzung, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%). 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 Katzung in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.6% (103 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Katzung appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.6%), Hispanic (2.7%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%). 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 Katzung (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 Katzung mean?
A German surname derived from the word "Katze" meaning cat. 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 Katzung (0.04 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 Katzung?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.