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

Kratzer, 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 Kratzer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kratzer in America

Kratzer is the 9332nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kratzer surname appeared 3,490 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 Kratzer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kratzer 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 Kratzer

The surname Kratzer has its origins in the German language. It is believed to have emerged in the late medieval period, likely around the 13th or 14th century, in regions that are now part of modern-day Germany and Austria.

The name Kratzer is thought to be derived from the Middle High German word "kratz," which means "to scratch" or "to scrape." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to an occupation or trade, potentially a person who worked with tools for scratching or scraping, such as a sculptor or a woodcarver.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kratzer can be found in the "Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis," a collection of historical documents from the Margraviate of Brandenburg, dating back to the 14th century. In this codex, there is a reference to a "Johannes Kratzer" from the year 1367.

Another notable early mention of the name Kratzer is in the "Stadtbuch von Augsburg," a city book from the city of Augsburg in Bavaria, which contains records from the 15th century. Here, a "Hans Kratzer" is listed as a resident of the city in the year 1458.

Throughout history, there have been several individuals with the surname Kratzer who have gained recognition in various fields. One example is Nikolaus Kratzer (c. 1487-1550), a German astronomer and mathematician who worked as a professor at the University of Wittenberg and served as the court astronomer to King Henry VIII of England.

Another notable figure is Georg Kratzer (1515-1603), a German physician and botanist who authored several works on medicinal plants and their uses. He was also a professor of medicine at the University of Leipzig.

In the realm of art, there was Johann Kratzer (1705-1754), a German painter and engraver who was known for his religious works and portraits. He was born in Nuremberg and spent much of his career working in various cities across Germany.

Moving into more recent times, there was Johann Kratzer (1758-1830), a German composer and violinist who served as the court Kapellmeister in Mecklenburg-Schwerin. He composed several operas and other musical works during his lifetime.

Additionally, there was Carl Kratzer (1844-1905), a German architect who designed several notable buildings in Berlin, including the Reichsbank and the Bode Museum.

These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have carried the surname Kratzer, showcasing its presence and significance across various fields and regions, primarily in German-speaking areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kratzer

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

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

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

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