2000
#8,594
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,525
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.31
Rare Last name
Schlabach
A Swiss German surname derived from the Middle High German word "slagebache," meaning a stream with a strong current.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,259 Americans carry the last name Schlabach. That puts it at #6,045 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.83 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 54,762 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Schlabach 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
6.3K
1 in 54,762
Census rank
#6,045
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,458 bearers of the surname Schlabach in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.83 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6045th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Schlabach, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.4%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Schlabach
The surname Schlabach originated in the German-speaking regions of Europe, specifically in the areas that are now part of modern-day Germany and Switzerland. It is believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "slach" or "slac," which referred to a thicket or dense growth of bushes and shrubs.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Schlabach can be traced back to the 13th and 14th centuries. It is likely that the name was initially used to identify individuals who lived near or in close proximity to such thickets or dense vegetation. Over time, it transitioned from a descriptive name to a hereditary surname.
One of the earliest known records of the Schlabach name appears in the historical documents of the city of Nuremberg, Germany, dating back to the mid-14th century. These documents mention a certain Johann Schlabach, a merchant who traded in textiles and other goods.
In the 16th century, the Schlabach surname gained prominence in the region of the Black Forest in southwestern Germany. Several families bearing this name were recorded in various villages and towns throughout the area. One notable individual from this period was Hans Schlabach (1520-1587), a farmer and landowner from the village of Schönau im Schwarzwald.
The Schlabach name also has a long-standing presence in Switzerland, particularly in the German-speaking cantons. Records from the 17th century indicate that the Schlabach family had established itself in the region of the Bernese Oberland. Jakob Schlabach (1625-1698), a prominent farmer and village leader from the town of Gsteig, is one of the earliest documented individuals with this surname in Switzerland.
As the Schlabach families spread across German and Swiss territories, variations in spelling and pronunciation emerged. Some of the alternative spellings included Schlabbach, Schlabaugh, and Schlabitzki.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Schlabach surname. These include:
1. Johann Schlabach (1834-1912), a German-American farmer and pioneer in the state of Ohio, United States.
2. Heinrich Schlabach (1870-1945), a Swiss artist known for his landscape paintings and etchings.
3. Frieda Schlabach (1892-1972), a German-American educator and author, known for her work in promoting bilingual education.
4. Rudolf Schlabach (1908-1987), a Swiss politician and member of the National Council.
5. Peter Schlabach (1942-present), an American author and historian, best known for his works on Amish culture and history.
While the Schlabach surname may have originated from humble beginnings, it has since become a part of the cultural heritage and history of various regions in Germany, Switzerland, and beyond, with its bearers contributing to various fields and professions over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Schlabach
Among Census respondents with the surname Schlabach, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.4%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Schlabach 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 Schlabach surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.9% · 5,287
- Hispanic or Latino1.4% · 79
- Two or more races1.2% · 63
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 17
- Black or African American0.2% · 10
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Schlabach
Schlabach 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
#7,382
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,514
+989 bearers (+28.1%)
Per 100,000 1.53
Rank movement Up 1,212 places
2020
#6,045
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,458
+944 bearers (+20.9%)
Per 100,000 1.83
Rank movement Up 1,337 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,594 | 3,525 | 1.31 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,382 | 4,514 | 1.53 | +989 bearers (+28.1%) | Up 1,212 places |
| 2020 | #6,045 | 5,458 | 1.83 | +944 bearers (+20.9%) | Up 1,337 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 Schlabach 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 | #7,382 | #6,045 | 18.1% |
| Count | 4,514 | 5,458 | 20.9% |
| Per 100K | 1.53 | 1.83 | 19.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Schlabach bearers went from 4,514 to 5,458 (+20.9% change). The surname moved up 1,337 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,382 to #6,045.
FAQ
Schlabach surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Schlabach?
Name Census estimates that about 6,259 living Americans carry the surname Schlabach. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 54,762 residents.
How common is Schlabach?
Schlabach ranks #6,045 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.83 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,458 people with the surname Schlabach. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,259), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.83 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.83 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Schlabach.
Has Schlabach become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Schlabach went from 4,514 recorded bearers to 5,458. That is an increase of 944 (+20.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,382 to #6,045.
What does the Census say about the background of Schlabach?
Among Census respondents with the surname Schlabach, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.4%) and Two or More Races (1.2%). 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 Schlabach in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.9% (5,287 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Schlabach appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.9%), Hispanic (1.4%), Two or More Races (1.2%). 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 Schlabach (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 Schlabach mean?
A Swiss German surname derived from the Middle High German word "slagebache," meaning a stream with a strong current. 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 Schlabach (1.83 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 common is the surname Schlabach?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Schlabach on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.