2000
#147,095
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Opliger
A possible occupational surname referring to an armor maker or someone who made opalings (breastplates).
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 117 Americans carry the last name Opliger. That puts it at #154,755 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,929,524 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Opliger 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
117
1 in 2,929,524
Census rank
#154,755
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
102
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 102 bearers of the surname Opliger in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154755th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Opliger, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.8%) and Hispanic (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Opliger
The surname Opliger is believed to have originated in Germany, specifically in the southern region of Bavaria. Its roots can be traced back to the late medieval period, around the 14th or 15th century. The name is derived from the Old German word "opfer," which means "offering" or "sacrifice," and is likely related to the occupation of the earliest bearers, possibly individuals involved in religious ceremonies or rituals.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Opliger can be found in the chronicles of the town of Augsburg, dating back to the late 15th century. These documents mention a certain Heinreich Opliger, a respected burgher and merchant who played a significant role in the town's affairs.
In the 16th century, the name Opliger appeared in various records across southern Germany, often associated with small settlements or villages in rural areas. Some variations in spelling, such as Oppliger or Oppleger, were also documented during this time, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal practices of the era.
A notable figure bearing the Opliger name was Johann Opliger, a skilled clockmaker born in Nuremberg in the early 17th century. His intricate timepieces were highly sought after by the wealthy and noble families of the time, and several examples of his work can still be found in museums and private collections across Europe.
Another individual of historical significance was Maria Opliger, a Benedictine nun who lived in the late 17th century. She was renowned for her dedication to charitable works and her compassionate care for the sick and destitute in the region around Munich.
In the 18th century, the Opliger surname began to spread beyond the borders of Germany, with some bearers migrating to neighboring countries like Switzerland and Austria. One such individual was Jakob Opliger, a talented woodcarver born in the Swiss village of Brienz in 1725. His intricate carvings adorned churches and noble residences throughout the region, and his work is still celebrated as a prime example of Swiss folk art.
As the centuries progressed, the Opliger name continued to appear across various parts of Europe, with different branches of the family establishing themselves in various professions and walks of life. While the exact origins and early history of the name remain somewhat shrouded in mystery, the Opliger surname has left an indelible mark on the cultural and historical tapestry of Germany and the surrounding regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Opliger
Among Census respondents with the surname Opliger, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.8%) and Hispanic (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Opliger 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 Opliger surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.3% · 88
- Two or more races7.8% · 8
- Hispanic or Latino3.9% · 4
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Opliger
Opliger 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
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+12 bearers (+11.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,954 places
2020
#154,755
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-13 bearers (-11.3%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 10,614 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #147,095 | 103 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | +12 bearers (+11.7%) | Up 2,954 places |
| 2020 | #154,755 | 102 | 0.03 | -13 bearers (-11.3%) | Down 10,614 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 Opliger 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 | #144,141 | #154,755 | -7.4% |
| Count | 115 | 102 | -11.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -14.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Opliger bearers went from 115 to 102 (-11.3% change). The surname moved down 10,614 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #154,755.
FAQ
Opliger surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Opliger?
Name Census estimates that about 117 living Americans carry the surname Opliger. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,929,524 residents.
How common is Opliger?
Opliger ranks #154,755 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 102 people with the surname Opliger. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (117), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Opliger.
Has Opliger become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Opliger went from 115 recorded bearers to 102. That is a decrease of 13 (-11.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #154,755.
What does the Census say about the background of Opliger?
Among Census respondents with the surname Opliger, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.8%) and Hispanic (3.9%). 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 Opliger in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.3% (88 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Opliger appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.3%), Two or More Races (7.8%), Hispanic (3.9%). 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 Opliger (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 Opliger mean?
A possible occupational surname referring to an armor maker or someone who made opalings (breastplates). 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 Opliger (0.03 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 Americans have the surname Opliger?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.