2000
#147,095
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Portscheller
Topographic surname derived from a German placename indicating someone from a village near a mountain pass or gateway.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Portscheller. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Portscheller 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
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Portscheller in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Portscheller, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Black (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Portscheller
The surname Portscheller is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the late 15th century in the regions of Bavaria and Austria. The name is believed to have derived from the German words "Pforte," meaning "gate," and "Scheller," which referred to a bell ringer or watchman. This suggests that the original bearers of the name may have been gate keepers or watchmen responsible for ringing bells to signal the opening and closing of town gates.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the town records of Salzburg, Austria, from the year 1497, where a certain Hans Portscheller is mentioned as a resident. In the 16th century, the Portscheller family appears to have been well-established in the Bavarian town of Landshut, with several members holding positions of prominence within the local community.
During the 17th century, the name began to spread beyond its original geographic confines, with Portschellers appearing in records from various parts of Germany and Austria. One notable figure from this era was Johann Portscheller, a Bavarian priest and theologian who lived from 1621 to 1689 and authored several influential works on Christian doctrine.
In the 18th century, a branch of the Portscheller family settled in the Austrian city of Graz, where they became successful merchants and landowners. Wilhelm Portscheller (1728-1803), a prominent member of this lineage, was a respected civic leader and philanthropist who funded the construction of several public buildings in Graz.
As the 19th century dawned, the Portscheller name began to appear in historical records from other parts of Europe, indicating the gradual dispersion of the family across the continent. Among the notable individuals bearing this surname during this period was Karl Portscheller (1822-1891), a German-born artist and illustrator who gained acclaim for his intricate woodcut engravings depicting scenes from classical literature.
Throughout its long history, the Portscheller surname has been associated with a diverse range of occupations and achievements, from religious scholars and civic leaders to artists and entrepreneurs. While the name may have originated from humble beginnings as a designation for gate keepers or watchmen, it has since grown to encompass a rich tapestry of stories and legacies woven into the fabric of European history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Portscheller
Among Census respondents with the surname Portscheller, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Black (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Portscheller 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 Portscheller surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.3% · 100
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 4
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Portscheller
Portscheller 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
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
+5 bearers (+4.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,437 places
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-2 bearers (-1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 807 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 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.9%) | Down 4,437 places |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.9%) | Down 807 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 Portscheller 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 | #151,532 | #152,339 | -0.5% |
| Count | 108 | 106 | -1.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Portscheller bearers went from 108 to 106 (-1.9% change). The surname moved down 807 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #152,339.
FAQ
Portscheller surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Portscheller?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Portscheller. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Portscheller?
Portscheller ranks #152,339 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 106 people with the surname Portscheller. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), 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 Portscheller.
Has Portscheller become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Portscheller went from 108 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #151,532 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Portscheller?
Among Census respondents with the surname Portscheller, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Black (0.9%). 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 Portscheller in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.3% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Portscheller appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.3%), Hispanic (3.8%), Black (0.9%). 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 Portscheller (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 Portscheller mean?
Topographic surname derived from a German placename indicating someone from a village near a mountain pass or gateway. 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 Portscheller (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 people have the last name Portscheller?
Want to know how common the surname Portscheller is? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.