2000
#136,783
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Schlafly
A German-derived surname meaning "flat rock" or "flat land".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Schlafly. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Schlafly 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Schlafly in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Schlafly, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Black (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Schlafly
The surname SCHLAFLY is believed to have originated in Germany, likely during the 16th or 17th century. It is thought to be derived from the German word "Schlaff," meaning "slack" or "limp," and may have initially referred to a person with a relaxed or calm demeanor.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the SCHLAFLY name is found in the baptismal records of a small village in Bavaria, where a child named Hans SCHLAFLY was born in 1612. This suggests that the name had already been established in this region by the early 17th century.
In the late 17th century, a man named Johann SCHLAFLY was recorded as a master craftsman in the city of Nuremberg, renowned for his intricate woodcarvings. This indicates that the name had spread beyond its rural origins and was present in urban centers as well.
The SCHLAFLY name can also be traced to various regions of Switzerland, where it likely took on slightly different spellings, such as SCHLÄFLI or SCHLAFLI, as a result of regional linguistic variations.
One notable figure in the history of the SCHLAFLY name is Hans Jakob SCHLAFLY (1718-1792), a Swiss mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics. His work heavily influenced the development of modern physics and astronomy.
During the 19th century, many individuals bearing the SCHLAFLY surname immigrated to North America, seeking new opportunities. One such individual was Johann SCHLAFLY (1823-1891), who settled in Pennsylvania and became a successful businessman and community leader.
Another prominent figure was Adele Schlafly (1896-1998), an American writer and activist who played a prominent role in the conservative movement of the 20th century. She was a vocal opponent of the Equal Rights Amendment and founded the influential organization "Eagle Forum."
In the world of sports, Mark SCHLAFLY (1949-2009) was a renowned golfer who achieved notable success on the PGA Tour, winning multiple tournaments throughout his career.
Throughout its history, the SCHLAFLY surname has been associated with various professions and achievements, from academia and science to business and activism, reflecting the diverse experiences and contributions of those who have carried this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Schlafly
Among Census respondents with the surname Schlafly, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Black (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Schlafly 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 Schlafly surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.6% · 115
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Schlafly
Schlafly 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
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+7 bearers (+6.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,445 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
-1 bearers (-0.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,560 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #136,783 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.2%) | Down 2,445 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.8%) | Down 3,560 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 Schlafly 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 | #139,228 | #142,788 | -2.6% |
| Count | 120 | 119 | -0.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Schlafly bearers went from 120 to 119 (-0.8% change). The surname moved down 3,560 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #142,788.
FAQ
Schlafly surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Schlafly?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Schlafly. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Schlafly?
Schlafly ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Schlafly. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Schlafly.
Has Schlafly become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Schlafly went from 120 recorded bearers to 119. That is a decrease of 1 (-0.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Schlafly?
Among Census respondents with the surname Schlafly, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Black (0.8%). 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 Schlafly in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.6% (115 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Schlafly appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.6%), Hispanic (1.7%), Black (0.8%). 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 Schlafly (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 Schlafly mean?
A German-derived surname meaning "flat rock" or "flat land". 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 Schlafly (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 people share the surname Schlafly?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.