2000
#113,519
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 143
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Nellenbach
A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a small stream or brook.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Nellenbach. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Nellenbach 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
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Nellenbach in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Nellenbach, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.2%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Nellenbach
The surname Nellenbach is of German origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from a place name, a common practice during that era. The earliest known spelling of the name was "Nellenbache," referring to a small stream or brook located in the region that is now known as Bavaria.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from the 12th century. Here, the name "Nellenbache" is mentioned in connection with a land grant to a nobleman in the year 1189.
In the 13th century, the surname appears in various chronicles and records from the regions of Franconia and Swabia. These references often pertain to individuals involved in trades, such as blacksmithing or weaving, who bore the name Nellenbach.
One notable figure from this period was Hans Nellenbach, a skilled glassblower who lived in the city of Nuremberg from 1275 to 1342. His exceptional craftsmanship earned him recognition among the nobility, and his works can still be found in some of the region's oldest cathedrals and museums.
During the 15th century, the surname Nellenbach gained prominence in the city of Augsburg, where a family of merchants and bankers bearing this name established themselves as influential members of the local community. Johannes Nellenbach (1420-1498) was a particularly successful entrepreneur who played a significant role in the development of the city's textile industry.
As the centuries passed, the Nellenbach name continued to appear in various parts of Germany, often associated with individuals from different walks of life. Notable examples include Wilhelm Nellenbach (1605-1678), a renowned theologian and scholar from Heidelberg, and Elise Nellenbach (1789-1862), a celebrated opera singer who performed in some of the most prestigious theaters across Europe.
Throughout its long history, the surname Nellenbach has maintained its connection to its Germanic roots, with variations in spelling and pronunciation arising as the name spread across different regions. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval era, where it first emerged as a place name in what is now modern-day Bavaria.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nellenbach
Among Census respondents with the surname Nellenbach, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.2%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Nellenbach 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 Nellenbach surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.1% · 108
- Hispanic or Latino5.2% · 6
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Nellenbach
Nellenbach 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
#122,314
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 141
-2 bearers (-1.4%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 8,795 places
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
-25 bearers (-17.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 22,714 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #113,519 | 143 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #122,314 | 141 | 0.05 | -2 bearers (-1.4%) | Down 8,795 places |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | -25 bearers (-17.7%) | Down 22,714 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 Nellenbach 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 | #122,314 | #145,028 | -18.6% |
| Count | 141 | 116 | -17.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -22.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Nellenbach bearers went from 141 to 116 (-17.7% change). The surname moved down 22,714 positions in the national ranking, going from #122,314 to #145,028.
FAQ
Nellenbach surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Nellenbach?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Nellenbach. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Nellenbach?
Nellenbach ranks #145,028 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 116 people with the surname Nellenbach. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), 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 Nellenbach.
Has Nellenbach become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Nellenbach went from 141 recorded bearers to 116. That is a decrease of 25 (-17.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #122,314 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Nellenbach?
Among Census respondents with the surname Nellenbach, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.2%) and Two or More Races (1.7%). 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 Nellenbach in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.1% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Nellenbach appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.1%), Hispanic (5.2%), Two or More Races (1.7%). 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 Nellenbach (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 Nellenbach mean?
A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a small stream or brook. 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 Nellenbach (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 Nellenbach?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.