2000
#131,366
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Schaetzel
A German surname meaning "little treasure" or "darling."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Schaetzel. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Schaetzel 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
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Schaetzel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Schaetzel, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.9%) and Two or More Races (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Schaetzel
The surname SCHAETZEL is of German origin, originating in the southern regions of Germany during the late medieval period. The name is derived from the Middle High German word "schatz," meaning "treasure" or "jewel," combined with the diminutive suffix "-el," suggesting a small or precious object.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SCHAETZEL can be traced back to the 14th century in the town of Nuremberg, where it appeared in various municipal records and guild registers. The name was likely adopted by a family involved in the trade or crafting of precious items, such as jewelers, goldsmiths, or gemstone merchants.
In the 15th century, the name SCHAETZEL was documented in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a picturesque medieval town located in the Franconian region of Bavaria. Here, the name was associated with a prominent family of artisans and tradesmen who played a significant role in the town's economic and cultural life.
One notable individual bearing the SCHAETZEL surname was Hans Schaetzel (c. 1480-1544), a renowned artist and woodcarver from Nuremberg. His intricate sculptural works adorned several churches and buildings in the city, showcasing his exceptional craftsmanship.
Another prominent figure was Johann Schaetzel (1592-1668), a Lutheran theologian and philosopher from Rothenburg ob der Tauber. He was known for his influential writings on ethics and moral philosophy, which were widely studied in German universities during the 17th century.
In the 18th century, the SCHAETZEL family scattered across various regions of Germany, with some members settling in the Rhineland and others venturing eastward into Silesia and Prussia. One notable member from this period was Friedrich Schaetzel (1720-1792), a successful merchant and entrepreneur who established a thriving trading company in the city of Hamburg.
The 19th century saw the SCHAETZEL name gain prominence in the field of education. Karl Schaetzel (1824-1896), born in Karlsruhe, was a renowned educator and author of several influential textbooks on mathematics and physics, which were widely used in German schools and universities.
Throughout its rich history, the surname SCHAETZEL has been associated with a diverse range of professions, from artisans and merchants to scholars and entrepreneurs, reflecting the versatility and adaptability of this German family name across different periods and regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Schaetzel
Among Census respondents with the surname Schaetzel, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.9%) and Two or More Races (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Schaetzel 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 Schaetzel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.2% · 97
- Hispanic or Latino4.9% · 5
- Two or more races1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Schaetzel
Schaetzel 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
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-6 bearers (-5.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 14,835 places
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-10 bearers (-8.8%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 7,981 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #131,366 | 119 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.0%) | Down 14,835 places |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | -10 bearers (-8.8%) | Down 7,981 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 Schaetzel 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 | #154,182 | -5.5% |
| Count | 113 | 103 | -8.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Schaetzel bearers went from 113 to 103 (-8.8% change). The surname moved down 7,981 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #154,182.
FAQ
Schaetzel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Schaetzel?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Schaetzel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Schaetzel?
Schaetzel ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 103 people with the surname Schaetzel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Schaetzel.
Has Schaetzel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Schaetzel went from 113 recorded bearers to 103. That is a decrease of 10 (-8.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #146,201 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Schaetzel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Schaetzel, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.9%) and Two or More Races (1.0%). 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 Schaetzel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.2% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Schaetzel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.2%), Hispanic (4.9%), Two or More Races (1.0%). 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 Schaetzel (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 Schaetzel mean?
A German surname meaning "little treasure" or "darling." 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 Schaetzel (0.03 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 Schaetzel?
You can see how common the surname Schaetzel is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.