2000
#134,929
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Lovenberg
A surname of Germanic origin, possibly derived from a place name containing the elements "love" (meaning "praise") and "berg" (meaning "hill" or "mountain").
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Lovenberg. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lovenberg surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Lovenberg in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lovenberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lovenberg
The surname Lovenberg is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have originated in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. The name derives from the combination of the German words "Lob" meaning "praise" and "Berg" meaning "mountain" or "hill." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or on a praiseworthy or notable hill or mountain.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lovenberg can be found in the parish records of the town of Murrhardt, located in the present-day state of Baden-Württemberg, dating back to the year 1587. These records mention a certain Hans Lovenberg, a local landowner and farmer. Another early reference comes from the city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Bavaria, where a merchant named Jakob Lovenberg is documented in the town's trade guild records from the early 17th century.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Lovenberg name appeared in various historical records across southern Germany, including in the archives of the Duchy of Württemberg and the Margraviate of Baden. Some notable individuals bearing this surname during this period include Johann Lovenberg (1642-1712), a respected theologian and author from Ulm, and Maria Lovenberg (1718-1792), a renowned painter and portraitist from Stuttgart.
In the 19th century, the Lovenberg name gained more prominence with the rise of industrialization in Germany. One notable figure was Wilhelm Lovenberg (1826-1899), a successful businessman and industrialist from Frankfurt who founded the Lovenberg Steel Company, which played a significant role in the region's economic development during the late 19th century.
Another prominent individual was Anna Lovenberg (1859-1935), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights, who established several schools and educational programs for girls in Bavaria. Her work paved the way for greater educational opportunities for women in Germany.
As German emigration to other parts of the world increased in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Lovenberg surname also spread to various countries, including the United States, Canada, and South America. One notable example is Karl Lovenberg (1872-1941), a German-American engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of early automotive technology and held several patents related to automotive systems.
The surname Lovenberg, while not among the most common German surnames, has a rich history dating back several centuries. Its origins can be traced to the southern regions of Germany, and it has been associated with notable individuals in various fields, including theology, arts, industry, and education, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who have borne this distinctive name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lovenberg
Among Census respondents with the surname Lovenberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Lovenberg bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Lovenberg surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.6% · 106
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lovenberg
Lovenberg appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-13 bearers (-11.3%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 23,503 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+10 bearers (+9.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 10,478 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,929 | 115 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | -13 bearers (-11.3%) | Down 23,503 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | +10 bearers (+9.8%) | Up 10,478 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Lovenberg surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #158,432 | #147,954 | 6.6% |
| Count | 102 | 112 | 9.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 24.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lovenberg bearers went from 102 to 112 (+9.8% change). The surname moved up 10,478 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #147,954.
FAQ
Lovenberg surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lovenberg?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Lovenberg. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Lovenberg?
Lovenberg ranks #147,954 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 112 people with the surname Lovenberg. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Lovenberg.
Has Lovenberg become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lovenberg went from 102 recorded bearers to 112. That is an increase of 10 (+9.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Lovenberg?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lovenberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%) and Two or More Races (1.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Lovenberg in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.6% (106 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lovenberg appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%), Two or More Races (1.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Lovenberg (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Lovenberg mean?
A surname of Germanic origin, possibly derived from a place name containing the elements "love" (meaning "praise") and "berg" (meaning "hill" or "mountain"). The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Lovenberg (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Lovenberg?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.