2000
#149,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Pfizenmayer
A German surname originating as a habitational name for someone living near a meadow or pasture.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Pfizenmayer. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pfizenmayer 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Pfizenmayer in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pfizenmayer, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pfizenmayer
The surname "PFIZENMAYER" is of German origin, with roots tracing back to the late 15th century. It is believed to have originated in the southern regions of present-day Germany, particularly in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.
The name "PFIZENMAYER" is thought to be derived from the combination of two Old High German words: "pfiz" (meaning a sharp or pointed object) and "mayer" (a person's occupation, likely referring to a maker or craftsman). This suggests that the name may have originally been associated with individuals involved in crafts or trades involving sharp tools or instruments, such as blacksmiths, cutlers, or weaponsmiths.
Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name "PFIZENMAYER" can be found in various historical records and manuscripts from the 16th and 17th centuries. For example, the name appears in the baptismal records of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the town of Fürth, Bavaria, dating back to the late 1500s.
One notable figure bearing the name "PFIZENMAYER" was Johann Pfizenmayer, a renowned Lutheran theologian and philosopher who lived from 1628 to 1696. He served as a professor at the University of Wittenberg and was known for his contributions to the study of ethics and metaphysics.
Another individual of note was Hans Pfizenmayer, a skilled clockmaker who lived in the city of Augsburg during the late 17th century. His intricate and ornate clocks were highly sought after by wealthy patrons throughout Europe.
In the realm of literature, the name "PFIZENMAYER" is associated with Johann Michael Pfizenmayer, a German poet and playwright born in 1753. His works, which often explored themes of love and nature, were widely acclaimed during his lifetime and influenced many of his contemporaries.
Moving into the 19th century, one cannot overlook the achievements of Konrad Pfizenmayer, a pioneering engineer and inventor who lived from 1811 to 1887. He was responsible for several innovative designs in the field of steam engine technology, which played a crucial role in the Industrial Revolution.
Additionally, the name "PFIZENMAYER" has been linked to various place names and locations throughout Germany, such as the village of Pfizenmayerhof in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, which likely derived its name from early settlers bearing the surname.
While the surname "PFIZENMAYER" may not be as widely recognized as some others, its rich history and the contributions of those who bore it have left an indelible mark on various aspects of German culture and society throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pfizenmayer
Among Census respondents with the surname Pfizenmayer, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Pfizenmayer 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 Pfizenmayer surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.2% · 113
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 3
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pfizenmayer
Pfizenmayer 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
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+15 bearers (+14.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,179 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+4 bearers (+3.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,100 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #149,328 | 101 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | +15 bearers (+14.9%) | Up 6,179 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.4%) | Up 1,100 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 Pfizenmayer 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 | #143,149 | #142,049 | 0.8% |
| Count | 116 | 120 | 3.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pfizenmayer bearers went from 116 to 120 (+3.4% change). The surname moved up 1,100 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #142,049.
FAQ
Pfizenmayer surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pfizenmayer?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Pfizenmayer. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Pfizenmayer?
Pfizenmayer ranks #142,049 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 120 people with the surname Pfizenmayer. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), 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 Pfizenmayer.
Has Pfizenmayer become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pfizenmayer went from 116 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 4 (+3.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #143,149 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Pfizenmayer?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pfizenmayer, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) 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 Pfizenmayer in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.2% (113 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pfizenmayer appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.2%), Hispanic (2.5%), 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 Pfizenmayer (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 Pfizenmayer mean?
A German surname originating as a habitational name for someone living near a meadow or pasture. 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 Pfizenmayer (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 Americans have the surname Pfizenmayer?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.