Landau
A habitational surname referring to a person from any of several places named Landau in Germany.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,478 Americans carry the last name Landau. That puts it at #6,137 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.89 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 52,911 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Landau 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
6.5K
1 in 52,911
Census rank
#6,137
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,582 bearers of the surname Landau in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.89 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6137th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Landau, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Landau
The surname Landau originated in Germany, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. The name is derived from the German words "land" meaning "country" and "au" meaning "meadow" or "water meadow," suggesting a connection to rural or agricultural areas.
One of the earliest known references to the name Landau can be found in the town of Landau in der Pfalz, situated in the modern-day state of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. This town was first mentioned in historical records as early as the 9th century, and it is likely that the surname Landau emerged from this region.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name Landau appeared in various legal documents and records across different regions of Germany. Notably, a certain Heinrich Landau was mentioned in a document from the city of Nuremberg in 1304, indicating the spread of this surname beyond its origins.
In the 16th century, the Landau family gained prominence through the figure of Johann Landau (1490-1542), a German theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation. He was a close associate of Martin Luther and contributed to the translation of the Bible into German.
Another notable individual with the surname Landau was Georg Landau (1807-1879), a German-born American lawyer and politician who served as the 20th Mayor of Baltimore from 1860 to 1863. He was also a prominent figure in the Union movement during the American Civil War.
In the 19th century, the name Landau was associated with the Landau carriage, a type of four-wheeled horse-drawn vehicle that originated in the town of Landau in der Pfalz. This connection further highlights the geographical origins of the surname.
Other noteworthy individuals with the surname Landau include Walter Landau (1909-1988), an American film producer and director, and Lev Landau (1908-1968), a Soviet physicist who made significant contributions to the field of theoretical physics and won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1962.
While the surname Landau has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and other countries, due to emigration and migration patterns over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Landau
Among Census respondents with the surname Landau, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Landau 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 Landau surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.7%
- Hispanic or Latino2.3%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8%
- Two or more races0.8%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Landau 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 | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,137 | #6,137 | 0.0% |
| Count | 5,582 | 5,582 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.89 | 1.89 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Landau bearers went from 5,582 to 5,582 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #6,137 to #6,137.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Landau
FAQ
Landau surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Landau?
The surname Landau holds position #6,137 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 6,478 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 1.89 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Landau surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Landau, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%). 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.