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

Németh, 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 Németh surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Németh in America

Németh is the 4241st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Németh surname appeared 8,362 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Németh.

We can also compare 2010 data for Németh 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 Németh

The surname Nemeth has its origins in Hungary. It is derived from the Hungarian word "német," which means "German" or "Germanic." The name likely emerged during the medieval period when the Hungarian kingdom was a diverse melting pot of various ethnic and cultural groups, including German settlers and merchants.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nemeth can be traced back to a 14th-century document from the town of Buda, which was the capital of the Kingdom of Hungary at the time. The document mentions a certain "Johannes Nemeth," who was a prominent merchant and landowner.

In the 15th century, the name Nemeth appears in several historical records from the region of Transylvania, which was part of the Kingdom of Hungary. These records suggest that the name was particularly common among the German-speaking communities in that area, further reinforcing its Germanic roots.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Nemeth became more widespread throughout Hungary, as the country experienced significant political and social changes. One notable figure from this period was István Nemeth (1545-1612), a Hungarian nobleman and military leader who played a crucial role in the Long War against the Ottoman Empire.

In the 18th century, the Nemeth surname gained prominence in the field of arts and literature. János Nemeth (1724-1789) was a renowned Hungarian poet and playwright who contributed significantly to the development of Hungarian literature during the Enlightenment era.

As the 19th century dawned, the Nemeth name continued to be associated with influential individuals. Károly Nemeth (1822-1904) was a prominent Hungarian mathematician and engineer who made groundbreaking contributions to the field of descriptive geometry.

Throughout its history, the surname Nemeth has been spelled in various ways, reflecting the cultural and linguistic diversity of the regions where it was found. Some of the alternative spellings include Németh, Némethy, and Nemet.

While the surname Nemeth is undoubtedly of Hungarian origin, it has also been adopted by families in other parts of Europe and beyond, likely due to migration and cultural exchange over the centuries. Nevertheless, its roots can be traced back to the vibrant tapestry of Hungary's rich history and the enduring legacy of its diverse cultural influences.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Németh

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

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

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

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