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

Metzger, 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 Metzger surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Metzger in America

Metzger is the 1724th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Metzger surname appeared 20,771 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Metzger.

We can also compare 2010 data for Metzger 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 Metzger

The surname Metzger originated in Germany and Switzerland. It is an occupational name derived from the Middle High German word "metziger", meaning a butcher or meat seller. The name is believed to have emerged in the 12th century, as the need for specialized trades and occupations grew in medieval Europe.

Metzger is a common surname found throughout German-speaking regions, with concentrations in Bavaria, Swabia, and Switzerland. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century in various town records and guild registers.

One of the earliest known references to the name Metzger is found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony, which mentions a "Henricus Metziger" in 1292. Another notable early record is the Bern Taufbuch, a baptismal register from the city of Bern, Switzerland, which includes entries for several individuals with the surname Metzger in the 14th century.

Among the notable historical figures with the surname Metzger are Johann Metzger (c. 1470-1540), a German Renaissance sculptor and woodcarver from Nuremberg, and Johann Metzger (1572-1657), a Swiss Reformed theologian and professor at the University of Basel.

In the 16th century, a prominent family of Metzgers lived in the town of Kirchheim unter Teck in Württemberg. One member of this family, Hans Metzger (c. 1510-1588), served as a councilor and mayor of the town.

Another noteworthy individual was Christoph Metzger (1591-1667), a German Baroque composer and organist from Memmingen, whose works included numerous sacred and secular compositions.

During the 18th century, Friedrich Metzger (1709-1787) was a renowned German architect and master builder from Mannheim, known for his work on the Mannheim Palace and other significant buildings in the region.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have borne the surname Metzger, a name that reflects the rich cultural heritage and occupational traditions of German-speaking lands.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Metzger

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

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

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

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