2000
#8,879
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,390
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.26
Rare Last name
Pitzer
One who lived near a well or spring, derived from the German word "pfütze" meaning puddle or pool.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,769 Americans carry the last name Pitzer. That puts it at #9,469 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.10 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 90,940 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pitzer 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
3.8K
1 in 90,940
Census rank
#9,469
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,287 bearers of the surname Pitzer in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.10 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9469th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pitzer, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pitzer
The surname Pitzer originated in Germany, likely in the late Middle Ages or early modern period. It is believed to be derived from the Old German word "pitz," which referred to a sharp point or peak, suggesting that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a pointed hill or mountain. Alternatively, it could also be related to the word "pitze," which meant a small piece or fragment, possibly indicating an occupation or trade.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pitzer can be found in the Palatinate region of Germany, where a family by that name resided in the 16th century. In 1589, a certain Hans Pitzer was mentioned in a local church register in the town of Heidelberg. This suggests that the name had already been established in the area by that time.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Pitzer family spread across various parts of Germany, with some members settling in other regions such as Saxony and Franconia. Notable individuals from this period include Johannes Pitzer (1617-1693), a Lutheran minister who served in the town of Eisenach, and Anna Pitzer (1732-1801), a prominent landowner in the village of Kirchheim.
As German immigration to North America increased in the 19th century, the Pitzer surname began to appear in various parts of the United States and Canada. One of the earliest recorded instances was that of Johann Pitzer, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1808 from the Palatinate region of Germany. Another notable figure was William Pitzer (1844-1923), a successful businessman and philanthropist who established the Pitzer College in Claremont, California.
Other notable individuals with the Pitzer surname include:
1. John Pitzer (1813-1886), a pioneer settler and farmer in Ohio.
2. Charles Pitzer (1873-1943), an American baseball player and manager in the early 20th century.
3. Robert Pitzer (1912-1995), a renowned physicist and professor at Ohio State University.
4. Susan Pitzer (born 1966), an American actress and writer known for her work in television and film.
5. Michael Pitzer (born 1975), a German professional soccer player who played for several clubs in the Bundesliga.
While the Pitzer surname may have originated from a specific region or occupation in Germany, it has since become more widespread and can be found in various parts of the world, reflecting the migration patterns and histories of families who bear this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pitzer
Among Census respondents with the surname Pitzer, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Pitzer 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 Pitzer surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.8% · 3,018
- Two or more races3.6% · 117
- Hispanic or Latino2.3% · 77
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 30
- Black or African American0.8% · 27
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 18
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pitzer
Pitzer 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
#9,624
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,375
-15 bearers (-0.4%)
Per 100,000 1.14
Rank movement Down 745 places
2020
#9,469
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,287
-88 bearers (-2.6%)
Per 100,000 1.10
Rank movement Up 155 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,879 | 3,390 | 1.26 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,624 | 3,375 | 1.14 | -15 bearers (-0.4%) | Down 745 places |
| 2020 | #9,469 | 3,287 | 1.10 | -88 bearers (-2.6%) | Up 155 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 Pitzer 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 | #9,624 | #9,469 | 1.6% |
| Count | 3,375 | 3,287 | -2.6% |
| Per 100K | 1.14 | 1.10 | -3.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pitzer bearers went from 3,375 to 3,287 (-2.6% change). The surname moved up 155 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,624 to #9,469.
FAQ
Pitzer surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pitzer?
Name Census estimates that about 3,769 living Americans carry the surname Pitzer. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 90,940 residents.
How common is Pitzer?
Pitzer ranks #9,469 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.10 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,287 people with the surname Pitzer. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,769), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.1 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.10 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Pitzer.
Has Pitzer become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pitzer went from 3,375 recorded bearers to 3,287. That is a decrease of 88 (-2.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,624 to #9,469.
What does the Census say about the background of Pitzer?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pitzer, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (2.3%). 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 Pitzer in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.8% (3,018 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pitzer appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.8%), Two or More Races (3.6%), Hispanic (2.3%). 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 Pitzer (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 Pitzer mean?
One who lived near a well or spring, derived from the German word "pfütze" meaning puddle or pool. 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 Pitzer (1.10 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 Pitzer?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.