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

Kolbe, 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 Kolbe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kolbe in America

Kolbe is the 15386th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kolbe surname appeared 1,906 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 Kolbe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kolbe 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 Kolbe

The surname Kolbe has its origins in Germany, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have been derived from the Old German word "kolbe," which means "club" or "mace," potentially referring to a woodsman or soldier's occupation or trade.

One of the earliest known references to the name Kolbe can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the Margraviate of Brandenburg, dating back to 1256, where a certain "Nicolaus Kolbe" is mentioned.

In the 15th century, the name appears in the records of the city of Nuremberg, with a merchant named Hans Kolbe documented in 1467. This suggests that the name had spread to urban centers and was associated with trade and commerce.

The name Kolbe is also connected to various place names in Germany, such as Kolbermoor, Kolbitz, and Kolbsheim, indicating that some branches of the family may have derived their surname from these locations.

One notable figure bearing the surname Kolbe was Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish Franciscan friar born in 1894 and canonized as a martyr and saint by the Catholic Church in 1982. During World War II, he sacrificed his life to save another prisoner in the Auschwitz concentration camp.

Another prominent individual was Georg Kolbe, a German sculptor born in 1877 who gained recognition for his monumental public works and statues adorning buildings in Berlin and other German cities.

In the field of science, Adolf Kolbe, a German chemist born in 1818, made significant contributions to organic chemistry and is known for the Kolbe electrolysis and the Kolbe-Schmitt reaction.

The name Kolbe also has literary connections, with Wilhelm Kolbe, a German author and playwright born in 1591, known for his satirical works and comedies.

Lastly, in sports, Bernhard Kolbe, a German decathlete born in 1957, won a silver medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and achievements of individuals bearing the surname Kolbe throughout history, reflecting its enduring presence in various spheres of society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kolbe

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

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

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

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