2000
#11,610
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,480
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.92
Rare Last name
Schexnayder
A French occupational surname referring to a wood shingle maker or roofer.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,932 Americans carry the last name Schexnayder. That puts it at #11,725 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.86 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 116,901 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Schexnayder 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
2.9K
1 in 116,901
Census rank
#11,725
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,557 bearers of the surname Schexnayder in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.86 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11725th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Schexnayder, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.2%. The next largest groups are Black (12.9%) and Hispanic (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Schexnayder
The surname "SCHEXNAYDER" is of German origin, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the region of Bavaria, where it was likely derived from a combination of the German words "schexen" meaning "to jest" or "to mock," and "nayder," a term used to describe a tailor or seamstress.
The earliest known record of the name "SCHEXNAYDER" can be traced back to a 14th-century manuscript from the town of Augsburg, where a certain "Hans Schexnayder" was mentioned as a local tailor. It is possible that the name initially referred to a tailor or seamstress known for their playful or jesting nature, or perhaps for their skill in creating intricate and elaborate garments.
In the 16th century, the name "SCHEXNAYDER" appeared in various parish records and tax rolls throughout Bavaria and neighboring regions, indicating its spread across southern Germany. One notable figure from this period was Johann Schexnayder (1524-1597), a prosperous merchant and landowner in the city of Nuremberg.
As the centuries passed, the name "SCHEXNAYDER" continued to be associated with tailors, seamstresses, and textile workers, but also became more widespread among other professions. In the late 18th century, a certain Friedrich Schexnayder (1749-1821) was a respected scholar and professor of philosophy at the University of Jena.
The 19th century saw the name "SCHEXNAYDER" spread beyond Germany, as many individuals bearing this surname emigrated to other parts of Europe and the Americas in search of new opportunities. One notable figure from this period was Wilhelm Schexnayder (1816-1891), a German-born engineer who played a significant role in the construction of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States.
Another prominent individual was Helene Schexnayder (1879-1962), a German-American artist and illustrator renowned for her intricate botanical illustrations and landscapes. Her works were widely exhibited and can be found in various museum collections across the United States.
While the surname "SCHEXNAYDER" has its roots in Germany, it has since been embraced by families and individuals across the globe, each with their own unique stories and contributions to their respective communities.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Schexnayder
Among Census respondents with the surname Schexnayder, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.2%. The next largest groups are Black (12.9%) and Hispanic (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Schexnayder 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 Schexnayder surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White79.2% · 2,026
- Black or African American12.9% · 330
- Hispanic or Latino3.9% · 99
- Two or more races3.2% · 81
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 11
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 10
Timeline
Historical Census data for Schexnayder
Schexnayder 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
#12,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,566
+86 bearers (+3.5%)
Per 100,000 0.87
Rank movement Down 530 places
2020
#11,725
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,557
-9 bearers (-0.4%)
Per 100,000 0.86
Rank movement Up 415 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,610 | 2,480 | 0.92 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,140 | 2,566 | 0.87 | +86 bearers (+3.5%) | Down 530 places |
| 2020 | #11,725 | 2,557 | 0.86 | -9 bearers (-0.4%) | Up 415 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 Schexnayder 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 | #12,140 | #11,725 | 3.4% |
| Count | 2,566 | 2,557 | -0.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.87 | 0.86 | -1.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Schexnayder bearers went from 2,566 to 2,557 (-0.4% change). The surname moved up 415 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,140 to #11,725.
FAQ
Schexnayder surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Schexnayder?
Name Census estimates that about 2,932 living Americans carry the surname Schexnayder. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 116,901 residents.
How common is Schexnayder?
Schexnayder ranks #11,725 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.86 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,557 people with the surname Schexnayder. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,932), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.86 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.86 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Schexnayder.
Has Schexnayder become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Schexnayder went from 2,566 recorded bearers to 2,557. That is a decrease of 9 (-0.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #12,140 to #11,725.
What does the Census say about the background of Schexnayder?
Among Census respondents with the surname Schexnayder, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.2%. The next largest groups are Black (12.9%) and Hispanic (3.9%). 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 Schexnayder in the 2020 Census, accounting for 79.2% (2,026 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Schexnayder appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (79.2%), Black (12.9%), Hispanic (3.9%). 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 Schexnayder (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 Schexnayder mean?
A French occupational surname referring to a wood shingle maker or roofer. 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 Schexnayder (0.86 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 Schexnayder?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.