2000
#18,994
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,327
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.49
Rare Last name
Picklesimer
An Americanized form of the German "Bikelheimer" surname, possibly meaning someone from a place named Bikelheim.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,495 Americans carry the last name Picklesimer. That puts it at #20,578 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.44 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 229,267 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Picklesimer 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
1.5K
1 in 229,267
Census rank
#20,578
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,304 bearers of the surname Picklesimer in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.44 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 20578th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Picklesimer, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Picklesimer
The surname Picklesimer has its origins in the German language, tracing back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated in the region of Bavaria, Germany. The name is a combination of two German words, "Pickel" meaning "spear" or "pike," and "Simer," which is a variation of the German word "Zimmer," meaning "room" or "chamber."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Picklesimer name can be found in a document from the town of Nuremberg, dated 1587, which mentions a certain Johann Picklesimer, a master craftsman who specialized in the creation of intricate woodcarvings for local churches and noble houses.
In the late 17th century, the Picklesimer family is known to have settled in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a well-preserved medieval town in Bavaria. Here, the family established a successful business as armorers and weaponsmiths, crafting swords, pikes, and other weapons for the local nobility and military forces.
A notable member of the Picklesimer family was Hans Picklesimer (1642-1712), who was commissioned by the Duke of Württemberg to design and construct a series of ornate weapons and armor for the ducal guard. His work was highly regarded for its intricate detailing and skilled craftsmanship.
Another prominent figure was Maria Picklesimer (1729-1803), a renowned lace maker from the town of Apolda in Thuringia. Her delicate and intricate lace designs were sought after by the aristocracy across Europe, and her work can be found in several museum collections.
In the 19th century, the Picklesimer family began to spread beyond Germany, with members emigrating to various parts of Europe and North America. One such individual was Wilhelm Picklesimer (1823-1892), who settled in the United States and became a successful businessman in the city of Philadelphia.
As the Picklesimer name traveled across the globe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Pickelheimer, Pickelshimer, and Pickelsheimer, reflecting the local dialects and pronunciation in different regions.
While the Picklesimer name may not be as widespread as some other surnames, it has a rich and fascinating history that spans several centuries and reflects the craftsmanship, entrepreneurship, and resilience of those who bore this distinctive name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Picklesimer
Among Census respondents with the surname Picklesimer, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Picklesimer 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 Picklesimer surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.7% · 1,209
- Two or more races3.4% · 44
- Hispanic or Latino2.1% · 27
- Black or African American0.7% · 9
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 9
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Picklesimer
Picklesimer 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
#19,834
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,355
+28 bearers (+2.1%)
Per 100,000 0.46
Rank movement Down 840 places
2020
#20,578
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,304
-51 bearers (-3.8%)
Per 100,000 0.44
Rank movement Down 744 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #18,994 | 1,327 | 0.49 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #19,834 | 1,355 | 0.46 | +28 bearers (+2.1%) | Down 840 places |
| 2020 | #20,578 | 1,304 | 0.44 | -51 bearers (-3.8%) | Down 744 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 Picklesimer 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 | #19,834 | #20,578 | -3.8% |
| Count | 1,355 | 1,304 | -3.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.46 | 0.44 | -5.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Picklesimer bearers went from 1,355 to 1,304 (-3.8% change). The surname moved down 744 positions in the national ranking, going from #19,834 to #20,578.
FAQ
Picklesimer surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Picklesimer?
Name Census estimates that about 1,495 living Americans carry the surname Picklesimer. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 229,267 residents.
How common is Picklesimer?
Picklesimer ranks #20,578 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.44 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 1,304 people with the surname Picklesimer. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,495), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.44 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.44 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 Picklesimer.
Has Picklesimer become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Picklesimer went from 1,355 recorded bearers to 1,304. That is a decrease of 51 (-3.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #19,834 to #20,578.
What does the Census say about the background of Picklesimer?
Among Census respondents with the surname Picklesimer, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.1%). 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 Picklesimer in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.7% (1,209 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Picklesimer appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.7%), Two or More Races (3.4%), Hispanic (2.1%). 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 Picklesimer (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 Picklesimer mean?
An Americanized form of the German "Bikelheimer" surname, possibly meaning someone from a place named Bikelheim. 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 Picklesimer (0.44 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 people have the surname Picklesimer?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.