Find out how popular the last name Schildkraut is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Schildkraut.

Schildkraut, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Schildkraut surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Schildkraut in America

Schildkraut is the 100302nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Schildkraut surname appeared 180 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Schildkraut.

We can also compare 2010 data for Schildkraut to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Schildkraut

The surname Schildkraut has its origins in Germany, derived from the German words "schild" meaning shield, and "kraut" meaning herb or plant. It is believed to have emerged as an occupational name for someone who made or sold shields decorated with plants or herbs.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 14th century in various regions of Germany. In 1384, a Johannes Schildkraut was mentioned in records from the town of Nuremberg. There are also references to a Heinz Schildkraut in a 1426 document from Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

The name appears to have been particularly prevalent in the regions of Franconia and Bavaria, with many early bearers of the name hailing from these areas. In the 16th century, a family of Schildkrauts resided in the town of Bamberg, where they were engaged in the brewing trade.

One notable bearer of the name was the German actor Rudolf Schildkraut, born in 1862 in Istanbul to a family of German descent. He gained fame for his performances on stage and in early cinema, appearing in films such as Orphans of the Storm (1921) and The Life of Emile Zola (1937).

In the 18th century, a Johann Schildkraut was recorded as a merchant in the city of Hamburg, while a family by the name of Schildkraut owned a vineyard in the Rheingau region, famous for its wine production.

Other historical figures bearing the surname include the German sculptor Franz Schildkraut (1835-1909), known for his works in marble and bronze, and the Austrian writer and playwright Hermann Schildkraut (1846-1910), who wrote plays in the Viennese dialect.

While the name has its origins in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through emigration. However, its roots can be traced back to the occupational name referencing the making or selling of decorated shields in medieval Germany.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Schildkraut

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Schildkraut.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Schildkraut was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Schildkraut has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Schildkraut was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Schildkraut, please contact us.

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