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

Killinger, 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 Killinger surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Killinger in America

Killinger is the 11228th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Killinger surname appeared 2,815 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 Killinger.

We can also compare 2010 data for Killinger 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 Killinger

The surname Killinger originates from Germany and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is likely derived from the Old High German word "killingari," which means "one who works with a quill or feather." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have been scribes, clerks, or writers.

The Killinger name first appeared in various records and documents from the region of Bavaria in southern Germany. Some of the earliest mentions can be found in parish registers and tax rolls from the late 1500s and early 1600s.

One notable historical figure with this surname was Johann Killinger, a German painter who lived from 1585 to 1644. He was known for his religious paintings and worked primarily in the city of Nuremberg.

Another prominent individual was Friedrich Killinger, a German theologian and philosopher born in 1670. He taught at the University of Tübingen and authored several works on ethics and moral philosophy.

In the 19th century, the Killinger name gained some recognition through the work of Johann Killinger, a German architect and urban planner who lived from 1810 to 1882. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings and public spaces in the city of Munich.

The surname Killinger also has historical connections to the town of Killingen, located in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. This place name likely shares a similar linguistic root with the surname, and it is possible that some early bearers of the Killinger name originated from or lived in this area.

Another notable figure was Max Killinger, a German-born American businessman and philanthropist who lived from 1876 to 1956. He founded the Killinger Company, which became one of the largest industrial construction firms in the United States during the early 20th century.

While the Killinger surname is relatively uncommon, it has a rich history and can be traced back several centuries to its Germanic origins. Throughout the years, individuals with this name have made their mark in various fields, including art, academia, architecture, and business.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Killinger

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

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

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

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