2000
#99,725
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 168
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Midler
A German surname meaning "middler" or "one in the middle."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 202 Americans carry the last name Midler. That puts it at #107,521 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,696,804 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Midler 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
202
1 in 1,696,804
Census rank
#107,521
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
176
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 176 bearers of the surname Midler in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 107521st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Midler, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Midler
The surname Midler is believed to have originated in Germany, specifically in the region of Bavaria, during the late medieval period. It is derived from the German word "Mittler," which means "mediator" or "go-between." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who served as intermediaries or negotiators.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Midler can be found in the town records of Augsburg, Bavaria, dating back to the 15th century. These records mention a merchant named Hans Midler, who was involved in trade between the city and neighboring regions.
In the 16th century, the name Midler appeared in various documents across southern Germany, including church registers and legal contracts. Notably, a family by the name of Midler was documented in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where they were known as respected craftsmen and tradesmen.
The Midler name has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. Johann Michael Midler, born in 1683 in Nuremberg, was a renowned clockmaker whose intricate timepieces were highly sought after by wealthy patrons across Europe.
Another prominent figure bearing the Midler name was Elise Midler, born in 1818 in Munich. She was a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights, establishing one of the first schools for girls in Bavaria at a time when female education was still largely neglected.
In the 19th century, the name Midler appeared in various European emigration records, indicating that families bearing this surname had begun to seek new opportunities abroad. One such family was that of Heinrich Midler, who left Germany in the 1860s and settled in the United States, where he became a successful farmer in the Midwest.
Additionally, the Midler name has been associated with several notable figures in the arts and entertainment industry. Bette Midler, born in 1945 in Honolulu, Hawaii, is a renowned American singer, actress, and comedian who has won numerous awards and accolades throughout her illustrious career.
While the Midler surname may have originated in a specific region of Germany, it has since spread across the globe, with individuals bearing this name making significant contributions in various fields throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Midler
Among Census respondents with the surname Midler, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Midler 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 Midler surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.5% · 161
- Two or more races3.4% · 6
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Midler
Midler 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
#128,249
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 133
-35 bearers (-20.8%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 28,524 places
2020
#107,521
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 176
+43 bearers (+32.3%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 20,728 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #99,725 | 168 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #128,249 | 133 | 0.05 | -35 bearers (-20.8%) | Down 28,524 places |
| 2020 | #107,521 | 176 | 0.06 | +43 bearers (+32.3%) | Up 20,728 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 Midler 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 | #128,249 | #107,521 | 16.2% |
| Count | 133 | 176 | 32.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.06 | 17.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Midler bearers went from 133 to 176 (+32.3% change). The surname moved up 20,728 positions in the national ranking, going from #128,249 to #107,521.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Midler
FAQ
Midler surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Midler?
Name Census estimates that about 202 living Americans carry the surname Midler. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,696,804 residents.
How common is Midler?
Midler ranks #107,521 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.06 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 176 people with the surname Midler. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (202), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.06 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 Midler.
Has Midler become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Midler went from 133 recorded bearers to 176. That is an increase of 43 (+32.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #128,249 to #107,521.
What does the Census say about the background of Midler?
Among Census respondents with the surname Midler, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.8%). 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 Midler in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.5% (161 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Midler appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.5%), Two or More Races (3.4%), Hispanic (2.8%). 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 Midler (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 Midler mean?
A German surname meaning "middler" or "one in the middle." 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 Midler (0.06 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 have the last name Midler?
Want to know how common the surname Midler is? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.