Koerber
German surname derived from an occupational name for a basket weaver.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,714 Americans carry the last name Koerber. That puts it at #18,540 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.50 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 199,973 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Koerber surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
1.7K
1 in 199,973
Census rank
#18,540
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,488 bearers of the surname Koerber in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.50 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 18540th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Koerber, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Koerber
The surname Koerber is of German origin, derived from the occupational name for a basket maker or weaver. It is believed to have originated in the 14th century from the Middle High German word "korb," meaning "basket."
The earliest known record of the surname Koerber dates back to the late 15th century in the town of Nürnberg, Bavaria. Historical documents from this period mention a certain Hans Koerber, a skilled basket weaver who lived and worked in the city.
In the 16th century, the name Koerber began appearing in various regions of Germany, including Saxony, Thuringia, and Hesse. This suggests that basket makers and weavers with this surname may have traveled and settled in different areas, contributing to the spread of the name.
One notable bearer of the surname Koerber was Johann Koerber (1587-1661), a Lutheran theologian and writer from Saxony. He authored several religious texts and served as a pastor in various churches throughout his life.
Another historically significant figure was Friedrich Koerber (1723-1797), a German architect and urban planner from Hesse. He is best known for his contributions to the design and development of the city of Kassel in the late 18th century.
During the 19th century, the surname Koerber gained further prominence with individuals such as Gustav Koerber (1817-1893), a German-American writer and journalist who emigrated to the United States and worked for various publications in New York City.
In the field of science, Max Koerber (1871-1946) was a German chemist and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of synthetic rubber and other industrial chemicals.
One of the most recent notable individuals with the surname Koerber was Horst Koerber (1926-2022), a German-Canadian businessman and philanthropist who founded the Koerber Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to supporting education and research initiatives.
It is worth noting that variations in the spelling of the surname, such as Körber, Körber, and Koerber, may have occurred over time and in different regions due to regional dialects and orthographic conventions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Koerber
Among Census respondents with the surname Koerber, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Koerber bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Koerber surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.9%
- Hispanic or Latino1.7%
- Two or more races1.2%
- Black or African American0.9%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Koerber surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #15,578 | #18,540 | -19.0% |
| Count | 1,723 | 1,488 | -13.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.64 | 0.50 | -21.9% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Koerber bearers went from 1,723 to 1,488 (-13.6% change). The surname moved down 2,962 positions in the national ranking, going from #15,578 to #18,540.
FAQ
Koerber surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Koerber?
The surname Koerber holds position #18,540 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 1,714 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.50 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Koerber surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Koerber, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Two or More Races (1.2%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.