2000
#141,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Schilla
A German surname derived from the word Schild, meaning shield or coat of arms.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Schilla. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Schilla 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
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Schilla in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Schilla, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Schilla
The surname Schilla originated in Germany, with its earliest recorded usage dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the German word "Schild," which means "shield," suggesting a possible connection to a family crest or heraldic symbol.
In the Middle Ages, the name was commonly found in various regions of present-day Germany, particularly in the southern states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Records from this period show variations in spelling, such as Schylla, Schylle, and Schyller, reflecting the linguistic and regional variations of the time.
One of the earliest documented references to the Schilla name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony, dating back to the 14th century. This document mentions a certain "Johannes Schylla" from the town of Meissen, indicating the presence of the name in that region during that period.
Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the Schilla surname. In the 16th century, Johann Schilla (1524-1589) was a German theologian and rector at the University of Wittenberg, known for his contributions to the Protestant Reformation.
Another prominent figure was Hans Schilla (1638-1718), a German landscape painter and engraver from Nuremberg, renowned for his depictions of pastoral scenes and rural landscapes.
In the 19th century, Karl Schilla (1814-1887) was a German economist and author who wrote extensively on topics related to finance and taxation.
In the world of literature, Wilhelm Schilla (1884-1951) was a German novelist and playwright, known for his works exploring social themes and the human condition.
More recently, Heinz Schilla (1914-1985) was a German politician and member of the Social Democratic Party, who served as a member of the Bundestag (German parliament) from 1965 to 1980.
While the Schilla surname may have evolved and spread across various regions, its origins can be traced back to the German roots, reflecting a rich history and connection to the cultural and linguistic heritage of the region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Schilla
Among Census respondents with the surname Schilla, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Schilla 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 Schilla surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.7% · 98
- Hispanic or Latino4.6% · 5
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Schilla
Schilla 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
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+1 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,664 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 483 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #141,788 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.9%) | Down 8,664 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 483 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 Schilla 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 | #150,452 | #150,935 | -0.3% |
| Count | 109 | 108 | -0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Schilla bearers went from 109 to 108 (-0.9% change). The surname moved down 483 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #150,935.
FAQ
Schilla surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Schilla?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Schilla. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Schilla?
Schilla ranks #150,935 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 108 people with the surname Schilla. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), 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 Schilla.
Has Schilla become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Schilla went from 109 recorded bearers to 108. That is a decrease of 1 (-0.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #150,452 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Schilla?
Among Census respondents with the surname Schilla, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Schilla in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.7% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Schilla appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.7%), Hispanic (4.6%), Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Schilla (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 Schilla mean?
A German surname derived from the word Schild, meaning shield or coat of arms. 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 Schilla (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 Schilla?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.