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

Moritz, 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 Moritz surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Moritz in America

Moritz is the 5596th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Moritz surname appeared 6,216 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Moritz.

We can also compare 2010 data for Moritz 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 Moritz

The surname Moritz is of German origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old High German name "Mauritz," which in turn stems from the Latin name "Mauritius." The name ultimately traces its roots to the Greek word "mauros," meaning "dark" or "swarthy."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Moritz surname appears in the Codex Traditionum Corbeiensium, a medieval manuscript from the Abbey of Corvey in present-day North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. This document, dating back to the 9th century, mentions a certain "Mauricius" who owned land in the region.

During the Middle Ages, the name Moritz gained popularity among German nobility and aristocracy. One notable example is Moritz von Sachsen, also known as Maurice of Saxony, a 16th-century military leader and Elector of Saxony (1521-1553). He played a pivotal role in the Schmalkaldic War and the Reformation in Germany.

Another historical figure bearing the Moritz surname was Johann Moritz, a 17th-century German painter and etcher (1604-1675). He was a leading artist of the Baroque period and is renowned for his etchings depicting scenes from the Thirty Years' War.

In the 18th century, the Moritz surname gained prominence in the scientific community with the work of Karl Philipp Moritz (1756-1793), a German author, editor, and educator. He was a significant figure in the Sturm und Drang literary movement and is considered one of the pioneers of modern psychology.

The 19th century saw the rise of Wilhelm Moritz, a German philosopher and playwright (1786-1859). He is best known for his work "Die Göttin von Milet" (The Goddess of Miletus), which explored the themes of Greek mythology and the role of women in society.

Another notable figure with the Moritz surname is Theodor Moritz, a German chemist and inventor (1837-1904). He is credited with developing the first synthetic dye, known as Mauveine, which revolutionized the textile industry and paved the way for the modern chemical industry.

While the surname Moritz originated in Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly through emigration and cultural exchange. However, its roots can be traced back to the medieval German lands, where it first emerged as a distinct surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Moritz

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

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

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

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