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

Neumann, 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 Neumann surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Neumann in America

Neumann is the 2067th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Neumann surname appeared 17,484 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Neumann.

We can also compare 2010 data for Neumann 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 Neumann

The surname Neumann originated in the German-speaking regions of Europe, particularly in Germany and Austria. It is derived from the German words "neu" meaning "new" and "mann" meaning "man," effectively translating to "new man." The name likely emerged in the Middle Ages, possibly as a descriptive surname for someone who had recently arrived in a town or village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Neumann can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony, where a certain "Nyeman" is mentioned in the year 1286. The name appeared in various spellings, such as "Neumann," "Newmann," and "Nuweman," reflecting regional variations and the evolution of the German language over time.

In the 14th century, the Neumann name was documented in the town records of Nuremberg, where a family bearing this surname was among the respected citizens. In the 16th century, the name was associated with the Protestant Reformation, with notable figures like Caspar Neumann (1648-1715), a German theologian and philosopher who studied at the University of Wittenberg.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Johann Neumann (1456-1529), a German mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics. Another notable individual was Franz Neumann (1798-1895), an influential German mineralogist and physicist who formulated the principles of crystallographic symmetry.

The Neumann name has also been associated with various place names, such as Neumannsgrund and Neumansgrün in Saxony, which may have influenced the adoption of the surname in certain regions. Additionally, the name has appeared in various forms, such as Neumann, Neuman, Nauman, and Naumann, reflecting regional linguistic variations.

Other notable individuals bearing the Neumann surname include:

1. John von Neumann (1903-1957), a Hungarian-American mathematician, physicist, and computer scientist, considered one of the pioneers of modern computer architecture and game theory.
2. Alfred Neumann (1900-1949), a German-American film director and screenwriter, known for his work in Hollywood during the 1930s and 1940s.
3. Kurt Neumann (1898-1964), a German-American film director and producer, known for his work in science fiction and horror films, including the cult classic "The Fly" (1958).
4. Robert Neumann (1897-1975), an Austrian writer and playwright, known for his novels and plays exploring the themes of exile and displacement in the aftermath of World War II.
5. Balthasar Neumann (1687-1753), a German architect and engineer, renowned for his Baroque and Rococo style, with notable works such as the Würzburg Residence and the Basilica of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Neumann

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

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

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

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