Lowenstein
A German surname likely derived from a place name meaning "lion's den" or "lion's stone".
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,988 Americans carry the last name Lowenstein. That puts it at #16,652 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.58 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 172,412 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lowenstein 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
2.0K
1 in 172,412
Census rank
#16,652
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,720 bearers of the surname Lowenstein in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.58 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 16652nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lowenstein, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.2%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lowenstein
The surname Lowenstein has its origins in Germany, where it first emerged in the medieval period. It is derived from the German words "Lowen" meaning "lion" and "stein" meaning "stone", suggesting that the name may have referred to a person who lived near a rock formation resembling a lion.
Early records indicate that the name was initially spelled as "Löwenstein" and was associated with the town of the same name in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The town of Löwenstein dates back to the 12th century and was home to a prominent noble family that bore the Lowenstein name.
One of the earliest known references to the Lowenstein name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Salemitanus, a collection of documents from the Monastery of Salem in the Black Forest region, which mentions a "Conradus de Lewenstein" in the year 1268.
In the 14th century, the Lowenstein family gained prominence and held significant landholdings and titles in various regions of Germany. Notable figures from this period include Johann von Lowenstein (c.1320-1380), who served as a military commander and advisor to Emperor Charles IV, and Katharina von Lowenstein (c.1350-1420), a renowned abbess of the Klarissenkloster in Bamberg.
During the Renaissance era, the Lowenstein name continued to be associated with nobility and intellectual pursuits. One prominent individual was Johann Friedrich von Lowenstein (1557-1622), a humanist scholar and patron of the arts who corresponded with renowned thinkers of the time, including Johannes Kepler.
In the 18th century, the Lowenstein family expanded their influence beyond Germany. Karl Thomas von Lowenstein (1714-1781) was a military officer who served in the Prussian army and later became a field marshal in the service of the Russian Empire under Catherine the Great.
The 19th century saw the emergence of several notable figures with the Lowenstein surname, including the writer and political activist Ferdinand Lowenstein (1809-1880), who played a role in the revolutionary movements of 1848, and the industrialist Leopold Lowenstein (1842-1917), who founded the successful textile manufacturing company that still bears his name.
While the surname Lowenstein originated in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world, with individuals bearing this name making significant contributions across various fields.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lowenstein
Among Census respondents with the surname Lowenstein, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.2%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Lowenstein 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 Lowenstein surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.7%
- Hispanic or Latino2.2%
- Two or more races1.6%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9%
- Unknown or suppressed0.5%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Lowenstein 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 | #15,413 | #16,652 | -8.0% |
| Count | 1,746 | 1,720 | -1.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.65 | 0.58 | -10.8% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Lowenstein bearers went from 1,746 to 1,720 (-1.5% change). The surname moved down 1,239 positions in the national ranking, going from #15,413 to #16,652.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Lowenstein
FAQ
Lowenstein surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Lowenstein?
The surname Lowenstein holds position #16,652 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 1,988 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.58 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Lowenstein surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lowenstein, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.2%) and Two or More Races (1.6%). 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.