2010
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Rosshirt
A variant spelling of the German surname Rosshirt meaning 'horse herder'.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Rosshirt. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rosshirt 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Rosshirt in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rosshirt, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.2%. The next largest groups are Black (1.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rosshirt
The surname ROSSHIRT is of German origin, with its earliest known roots dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the combination of two words: "Ross," meaning horse, and "Hirt," referring to a herdsman or shepherd. This suggests that the name likely designated an individual who tended to horses or worked as a horse wrangler.
During the Middle Ages, surnames often arose from occupations or distinguishing characteristics, helping to differentiate individuals within a community. The name ROSSHIRT would have initially identified someone whose primary occupation involved caring for horses, a crucial role in an era when horses were essential for transportation, agriculture, and warfare.
Some of the earliest recorded instances of the surname ROSSHIRT can be found in various German parish records from the 1500s and 1600s, particularly in regions such as Bavaria and Saxony. The name appears to have been more prevalent in rural areas, where horse-related occupations were more common.
One notable bearer of the ROSSHIRT surname was Johann ROSSHIRT (1605-1678), a German farmer and landowner from the village of Schönbrunn, near Bamberg. Records indicate that he owned a sizable tract of land and maintained a small herd of horses, likely contributing to the origin of his family's surname.
Another individual of historical significance was Hans ROSSHIRT (1712-1789), a skilled horse breeder from the town of Neustadt an der Weinstraße in the Palatinate region. His reputation for breeding high-quality horses earned him recognition among the local nobility, who frequently purchased horses from his stables.
In the 19th century, the ROSSHIRT name gained further prominence with the birth of Wilhelm ROSSHIRT (1832-1901), a renowned equestrian and horse trainer from Hannover. He authored several influential books on horsemanship and established a prestigious riding academy that attracted students from across Europe.
Moving into the 20th century, one cannot overlook the contributions of Elise ROSSHIRT (1905-1988), a German veterinarian and one of the first women to specialize in equine medicine. She played a pivotal role in advancing the field of equine health and established a well-respected practice in Berlin.
Lastly, the name ROSSHIRT was further immortalized in the literary world through the works of Karl ROSSHIRT (1923-2002), a German author and poet who drew inspiration from his rural upbringing and love for horses. His poetic depictions of rural life and the bond between humans and animals garnered critical acclaim.
While the surname ROSSHIRT may not be as widespread today, its historical significance remains rooted in its association with horse-related occupations and the cultural importance of horses throughout German history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rosshirt
Among Census respondents with the surname Rosshirt, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.2%. The next largest groups are Black (1.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Rosshirt 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 Rosshirt surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.2% · 104
- Black or African American1.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rosshirt
Rosshirt appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-6 bearers (-5.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,438 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.3%) | Down 5,438 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 Rosshirt 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 | #146,201 | #151,639 | -3.7% |
| Count | 113 | 107 | -5.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rosshirt bearers went from 113 to 107 (-5.3% change). The surname moved down 5,438 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #151,639.
FAQ
Rosshirt surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rosshirt?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Rosshirt. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Rosshirt?
Rosshirt ranks #151,639 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 107 people with the surname Rosshirt. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), 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 Rosshirt.
Has Rosshirt become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rosshirt went from 113 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #146,201 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Rosshirt?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rosshirt, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.2%. The next largest groups are Black (1.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (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 Rosshirt in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.2% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rosshirt appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.2%), Black (1.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (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 Rosshirt (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 Rosshirt mean?
A variant spelling of the German surname Rosshirt meaning 'horse herder'. 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 Rosshirt (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 Rosshirt?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.