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

Neu, 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 Neu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Neu in America

Neu is the 7933rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Neu surname appeared 4,170 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Neu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Neu 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 Neu

The surname Neu is of German origin, emerging in the late medieval period around the 13th century. It is derived from the Old High German word "niuwi" or "niuwe," meaning "new" or "fresh." This suggests that the name was likely given to someone who had recently arrived in a particular area or was involved in some new endeavor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Neu can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the region of Brandenburg, dating back to the 13th century. This suggests that the name was initially prevalent in northern Germany.

During the 15th century, the name appeared in various records across southern Germany, particularly in the regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. It was often associated with places like Neustadt (meaning "new town") or Neuburg ("new castle"), indicating that the name's bearers may have been among the early settlers or founders of these locations.

In the 16th century, the surname Neu gained prominence with notable figures such as Johann Neu (1525-1590), a German Protestant theologian and reformer, and Hieronymus Neu (1550-1612), a German composer and organist.

Another notable bearer of the name was Johann Christian Neu (1668-1737), a German architect and builder who was responsible for the construction of several landmark buildings in the city of Bayreuth, including the Margravial Opera House.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Neu surname spread across various regions of Europe, with records showing its presence in Switzerland, Austria, and even parts of France and the Netherlands.

One of the most illustrious figures with the surname Neu was Johann Elias Ridinger (born Johann Elias Neu) (1698-1767), a renowned German artist and printmaker known for his intricate etchings of animals and hunting scenes.

In the 19th century, the name gained further recognition with individuals like Johann Baptist Neu (1796-1856), a German Catholic theologian and philosopher, and Johann Michael Neu (1794-1876), a German physicist and inventor who contributed to the development of early electrical telegraph systems.

Throughout its history, the surname Neu has been associated with various professions, from academics and clergy to artists and architects, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of its bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Neu

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

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

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

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