2000
#21,666
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,121
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.42
Rare Last name
Schanz
German surname meaning someone who constructed fortifications or defenses.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,264 Americans carry the last name Schanz. That puts it at #23,737 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.37 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 271,166 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Schanz 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
1.3K
1 in 271,166
Census rank
#23,737
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,102 bearers of the surname Schanz in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.37 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 23737th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Schanz, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.7%) and Hispanic (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Schanz
The surname Schanz is of German origin, with its roots traceable back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the Middle High German word "schanz," which referred to a fortification or entrenchment, suggesting that the name may have been associated with individuals involved in military or defensive roles.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Schanz can be found in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, located in the Franconian region of Germany. Historical records from the late 13th century mention a certain Johann Schanz, a prosperous landowner and respected figure in the local community.
In the 15th century, the Schanz name appears in several manuscripts and official documents from the city of Augsburg, a prominent center of trade and commerce during the Renaissance era. Notable individuals bearing this surname include Hans Schanz, a skilled craftsman who specialized in the production of intricate stained-glass windows for churches and cathedrals across southern Germany.
As the centuries progressed, the Schanz family continued to establish roots in various regions of Germany, with branches emerging in cities like Munich, Nuremberg, and Frankfurt. In the 18th century, Johann Michael Schanz (1711-1789) gained recognition as a respected theologian and author, contributing numerous scholarly works on religious philosophy and ethics.
Another notable figure with the Schanz surname is the 19th-century German mathematician and astronomer Friedrich Schanz (1826-1892), who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics and the study of cometary orbits.
The 20th century saw the rise of several individuals bearing the Schanz name in various fields. Alois Schanz (1905-1985) was a prominent Austrian diplomat and ambassador, representing his country in various international forums. Additionally, Hans Schanz (1893-1971) was a renowned German architect and urban planner, responsible for designing several iconic buildings and urban landscapes in Berlin and other German cities.
Throughout its history, the Schanz surname has been associated with a diverse range of professions, from military personnel and craftsmen to scholars, scientists, and professionals. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Germany, the name has since spread to various parts of the world, carrying with it a rich tapestry of cultural and historical significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Schanz
Among Census respondents with the surname Schanz, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.7%) and Hispanic (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Schanz 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 Schanz surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.7% · 999
- Two or more races4.7% · 52
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 38
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 9
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Schanz
Schanz 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
#22,906
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,117
-4 bearers (-0.4%)
Per 100,000 0.38
Rank movement Down 1,240 places
2020
#23,737
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,102
-15 bearers (-1.3%)
Per 100,000 0.37
Rank movement Down 831 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #21,666 | 1,121 | 0.42 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #22,906 | 1,117 | 0.38 | -4 bearers (-0.4%) | Down 1,240 places |
| 2020 | #23,737 | 1,102 | 0.37 | -15 bearers (-1.3%) | Down 831 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 Schanz 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 | #22,906 | #23,737 | -3.6% |
| Count | 1,117 | 1,102 | -1.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.38 | 0.37 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Schanz bearers went from 1,117 to 1,102 (-1.3% change). The surname moved down 831 positions in the national ranking, going from #22,906 to #23,737.
FAQ
Schanz surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Schanz?
Name Census estimates that about 1,264 living Americans carry the surname Schanz. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 271,166 residents.
How common is Schanz?
Schanz ranks #23,737 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.37 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 1,102 people with the surname Schanz. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,264), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.37 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.37 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 Schanz.
Has Schanz become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Schanz went from 1,117 recorded bearers to 1,102. That is a decrease of 15 (-1.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #22,906 to #23,737.
What does the Census say about the background of Schanz?
Among Census respondents with the surname Schanz, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.7%) and Hispanic (3.4%). 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 Schanz in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.7% (999 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Schanz appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.7%), Two or More Races (4.7%), Hispanic (3.4%). 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 Schanz (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 Schanz mean?
German surname meaning someone who constructed fortifications or defenses. 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 Schanz (0.37 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 Schanz?
If you just want to know how many people have the surname Schanz, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.