2000
#138,741
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Rambacher
A German habitational name for someone from a place named Rambach or Rembach.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Rambacher. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rambacher 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
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Rambacher in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rambacher, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.6%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rambacher
The surname Rambacher has its origins in the German language and can be traced back to the 14th century. It is believed to have originated from the southern regions of Germany, particularly in the states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.
The name Rambacher is derived from the German word "Rambach," which refers to a small stream or a creek. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname may have lived near or along a rambach, which was likely a significant geographical feature in their local area.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Rambacher surname can be found in the Wittelsbach Archives, which contain documents dating back to the 14th century. These archives mention individuals with variations of the name, such as Rambacher, Rambecher, and Rambechter.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Hans Rambacher (1525-1589) was a prominent blacksmith and metalworker in the town of Nürnberg. His intricate works of art, including ornate gates and decorative metalwork, can still be found in various churches and buildings throughout the city.
Another individual of historical significance was Johann Rambacher (1677-1743), a German composer and organist from the town of Bamberg. His compositions, particularly his organ works, were widely appreciated during the Baroque period and contributed to the development of sacred music in Germany.
In the 19th century, a prominent figure named Friedrich Rambacher (1811-1889) was a German politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Reichstag, the legislative body of the German Empire. He was known for his advocacy of civil rights and his efforts to promote legal reforms.
The Rambacher surname has also been associated with several place names throughout Germany. For instance, the village of Rambach in Baden-Württemberg and the town of Rambachtal in Bavaria are both derived from the same root word, reflecting the connection between the surname and geographical features.
Throughout history, the Rambacher surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artisans, musicians, politicians, and scholars. While its origins can be traced back to specific regions in Germany, the name has since spread to other parts of the world, reflecting the migration patterns of German communities over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rambacher
Among Census respondents with the surname Rambacher, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.6%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Rambacher 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 Rambacher surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.6% · 112
- Two or more races2.6% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rambacher
Rambacher 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
-3 bearers (-2.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,791 places
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+8 bearers (+7.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,504 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #138,741 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.7%) | Down 12,791 places |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+7.4%) | Up 6,504 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 Rambacher 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 | #145,028 | 4.3% |
| Count | 108 | 116 | 7.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rambacher bearers went from 108 to 116 (+7.4% change). The surname moved up 6,504 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #145,028.
FAQ
Rambacher surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rambacher?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Rambacher. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Rambacher?
Rambacher ranks #145,028 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 116 people with the surname Rambacher. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), 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 Rambacher.
Has Rambacher become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rambacher went from 108 recorded bearers to 116. That is an increase of 8 (+7.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #151,532 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Rambacher?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rambacher, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.6%) and Hispanic (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 Rambacher in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.6% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rambacher appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.6%), Two or More Races (2.6%), Hispanic (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 Rambacher (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 Rambacher mean?
A German habitational name for someone from a place named Rambach or Rembach. 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 Rambacher (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 are called Rambacher?
Want to know how common the surname Rambacher is? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.