2000
#4,544
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,166
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.66
Rare Last name
Schlosser
An occupational surname referring to a locksmith, derived from the German word for castle or lock.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 7,662 Americans carry the last name Schlosser. That puts it at #5,087 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.24 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 44,734 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Schlosser 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
7.7K
1 in 44,734
Census rank
#5,087
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,682 bearers of the surname Schlosser in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.24 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5087th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Schlosser, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Schlosser
The surname Schlosser originated in Germany, with its roots dating back to the Middle Ages. The name is derived from the German word "Schloss," which means "castle" or "lock," and the suffix "-er," indicating an occupation. Historically, the name referred to locksmiths, key makers, or individuals associated with castles or fortified structures.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Schlosser name can be found in the German town of Nuremberg, where a certain Hans Schlosser was mentioned in a document from the year 1387. This document shed light on his trade as a locksmith within the city walls.
In the 15th century, the Schlosser name appeared in various regions of Germany, including Bavaria, Saxony, and the Rhineland. During this period, many families with this surname were involved in crafting and maintaining locks, keys, and other metalwork for noble households and fortified structures.
The Schlosser name has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure was Johann Schlosser, a German clockmaker born in 1640, who gained recognition for his intricate and precise timepieces. Another prominent Schlosser was Friedrich Christoph Schlosser, a German historian and philosopher who lived from 1776 to 1861 and authored several influential works on history and philosophy.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Schlosser name appeared in various records and manuscripts across German-speaking regions. For instance, a document from the city of Ulm, dated 1567, mentioned a certain Georg Schlosser, who was a respected locksmith and metalworker within the city's guild system.
The name Schlosser also found its way into place names, such as Schlossergasse (Locksmith's Alley) in several German towns, reflecting the presence and importance of locksmiths and metalworkers in those areas.
Among other notable individuals with the Schlosser surname were Johann Georg Schlosser (1739-1799), a German writer and translator; Friedrich Christoph Schlosser (1776-1861), a German historian and philosopher; and Eberhard Schlosser (1839-1916), a German architect known for his work on churches and public buildings.
While the surname Schlosser has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration. However, this report focuses primarily on the historical origins and significance of the name within the German context.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Schlosser
Among Census respondents with the surname Schlosser, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Schlosser 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 Schlosser surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.3% · 6,168
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 221
- Two or more races2.9% · 191
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 41
- Black or African American0.5% · 32
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 29
Timeline
Historical Census data for Schlosser
Schlosser 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
#4,892
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,203
+37 bearers (+0.5%)
Per 100,000 2.44
Rank movement Down 348 places
2020
#5,087
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,682
-521 bearers (-7.2%)
Per 100,000 2.24
Rank movement Down 195 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #4,544 | 7,166 | 2.66 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,892 | 7,203 | 2.44 | +37 bearers (+0.5%) | Down 348 places |
| 2020 | #5,087 | 6,682 | 2.24 | -521 bearers (-7.2%) | Down 195 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 Schlosser 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 | #4,892 | #5,087 | -4.0% |
| Count | 7,203 | 6,682 | -7.2% |
| Per 100K | 2.44 | 2.24 | -8.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Schlosser bearers went from 7,203 to 6,682 (-7.2% change). The surname moved down 195 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,892 to #5,087.
FAQ
Schlosser surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Schlosser?
Name Census estimates that about 7,662 living Americans carry the surname Schlosser. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 44,734 residents.
How common is Schlosser?
Schlosser ranks #5,087 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.24 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 6,682 people with the surname Schlosser. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (7,662), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.24 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.24 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 Schlosser.
Has Schlosser become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Schlosser went from 7,203 recorded bearers to 6,682. That is a decrease of 521 (-7.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #4,892 to #5,087.
What does the Census say about the background of Schlosser?
Among Census respondents with the surname Schlosser, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.9%). 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 Schlosser in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.3% (6,168 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Schlosser appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.3%), Hispanic (3.3%), Two or More Races (2.9%). 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 Schlosser (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 Schlosser mean?
An occupational surname referring to a locksmith, derived from the German word for castle or lock. 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 Schlosser (2.24 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 Schlosser?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.