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

Schlax, 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 Schlax surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Schlax in America

Schlax is the 113791st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Schlax surname appeared 154 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 Schlax.

We can also compare 2010 data for Schlax 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 Schlax

The surname Schlax originated in Germany during the late Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "slachen," meaning "to be sluggish" or "to loiter." The name was likely given as a nickname to someone who was perceived as lazy or idle.

The earliest known record of the Schlax surname dates back to the 14th century in the region of Bavaria. It appears in a local tax register from the year 1379, which lists a "Hans Schlax" as a resident of the town of Regensburg.

In the 15th century, the name can be found in various church records and municipal documents from the German states of Saxony and Thuringia. One notable mention is in the personal correspondence of the humanist scholar Petrus Mosellanus, who in a letter from 1515 refers to a "Johannes Schlax" as a fellow scholar and friend.

The spelling of the name has remained relatively consistent over the centuries, with variations such as "Schlachs" and "Schlachse" appearing occasionally in historical records. However, these alternative spellings were less common and eventually fell out of use.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Schlax surname was Hans Schlax (c. 1420-1492), a merchant and alderman in the city of Leipzig. Another notable bearer of the name was Christoph Schlax (1568-1642), a Lutheran theologian and author of several religious treatises.

In the 17th century, the Schlax family appears to have spread to other parts of Europe, with records showing individuals bearing the name in the Netherlands and Switzerland. One such person was Johann Schlax (1612-1676), a Dutch painter and engraver known for his landscapes and religious scenes.

Other historical figures with the Schlax surname include Friedrich Schlax (1801-1870), a German philosopher and professor at the University of Jena, and Gustav Schlax (1845-1917), a prominent German industrialist and founder of the Schlax Steel Company.

Throughout its history, the Schlax surname has maintained a strong presence in Germany, particularly in the regions of Bavaria, Saxony, and Thuringia. While not a widely widespread name, it has endured as a distinctly German surname with a rich and traceable lineage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Schlax

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

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

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

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