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

Schlau, 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 Schlau surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Schlau in America

Schlau is the 69579th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Schlau surname appeared 282 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 Schlau.

We can also compare 2010 data for Schlau 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 Schlau

The surname SCHLAU has its origins in Germany, with records dating back to the 14th century. It is believed to be derived from the Middle High German word "slau," which means "sly" or "cunning." The name was likely used as a descriptive surname, given to individuals who were perceived as clever or shrewd.

In the 15th century, the surname SCHLAU appeared in various historical records from regions across Germany, including Bavaria, Saxony, and Westphalia. One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the "Bürgeraufnahme-Register" (Citizen Registration Records) of the city of Nuremberg, where a certain Kunz Schlau is mentioned in 1425.

The SCHLAU surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. In the 16th century, Hans Schlau (1490-1562) was a renowned German architect and sculptor, known for his work on the Frauenkirche in Munich. Another prominent figure was Johann Friedrich Schlau (1714-1792), a German philosopher and theologian who made significant contributions to the field of ethics.

During the 17th century, the surname SCHLAU appeared in various church and municipal records from towns and villages across Germany. One notable example is Johann Schlau (1630-1697), a Lutheran pastor and author from Saxony, who wrote several influential works on theology and religious education.

In the 18th century, the SCHLAU surname gained recognition in the literary world with Johann Christian Schlau (1753-1825), a German writer and translator who is credited with introducing the works of William Shakespeare to German audiences through his translations.

The 19th century saw the rise of Karl Wilhelm Schlau (1801-1865), a German historian and educator who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Roman history and served as a professor at the University of Bonn.

While the SCHLAU surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through emigration in the 19th and 20th centuries. Individuals bearing this surname can be found in various countries, including the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Schlau

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

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 Schlau 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 Schlau 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 Schlau was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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