2000
#12,430
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,290
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.85
Rare Last name
Schmaltz
A German and Jewish occupational surname referring to someone who rendered animal fat or produced lard.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,468 Americans carry the last name Schmaltz. That puts it at #13,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.72 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 138,879 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Schmaltz 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
2.5K
1 in 138,879
Census rank
#13,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,152 bearers of the surname Schmaltz in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.72 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Schmaltz, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.0%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Schmaltz
The surname "SCHMALTZ" originated in Germany, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the German word "schmalz," which means "fat" or "grease." The name was likely occupational in origin, referring to individuals who worked with animal fats, such as butchers, soap makers, or candle makers.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the records of the city of Nuremberg in 1563, where a certain Hans Schmaltz is mentioned. Another early reference is in the parish records of Saxony, where a Peter Schmaltz was born in 1578.
In the 17th century, the name appears in various parts of Germany, including Bavaria and Württemberg. One notable bearer of the name was Johann Schmaltz, a Lutheran theologian and professor at the University of Wittenberg, who lived from 1592 to 1628.
As the name spread across German-speaking regions, variations in spelling emerged, such as Schmalz, Schmalze, and Schmeltz. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and pronunciation.
In the 18th century, the name is found in historical records from various German states, including Prussia and Saxony. One prominent individual with this surname was Johann Georg Schmaltz, a German jurist and professor of law, who lived from 1702 to 1769.
The 19th century saw the name spread further as German immigrants settled in other parts of Europe and the Americas. One notable bearer of the name during this period was Friedrich Schmaltz, a German composer and music teacher who lived from 1819 to 1892.
Other notable individuals with the surname "SCHMALTZ" throughout history include:
1. Theodor Schmaltz (1760-1831), a German philosopher and educator.
2. Friedrich Schmaltz (1824-1880), a German architect and urban planner.
3. Gustav Schmaltz (1851-1916), a German botanist and phycologist.
4. Theodor Schmaltz (1860-1945), a German architect and urban planner.
5. Otto Schmaltz (1891-1960), a German sculptor and artist.
While the name may have evolved over time, its roots can be traced back to the occupational traditions of Germany, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and history of the region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Schmaltz
Among Census respondents with the surname Schmaltz, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.0%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Schmaltz 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 Schmaltz surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.3% · 2,007
- Two or more races3.0% · 65
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 51
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 18
- Black or African American0.3% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Schmaltz
Schmaltz 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
#12,581
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,461
+171 bearers (+7.5%)
Per 100,000 0.83
Rank movement Down 151 places
2020
#13,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,152
-309 bearers (-12.6%)
Per 100,000 0.72
Rank movement Down 930 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,430 | 2,290 | 0.85 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,581 | 2,461 | 0.83 | +171 bearers (+7.5%) | Down 151 places |
| 2020 | #13,511 | 2,152 | 0.72 | -309 bearers (-12.6%) | Down 930 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 Schmaltz 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 | #12,581 | #13,511 | -7.4% |
| Count | 2,461 | 2,152 | -12.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.83 | 0.72 | -13.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Schmaltz bearers went from 2,461 to 2,152 (-12.6% change). The surname moved down 930 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,581 to #13,511.
FAQ
Schmaltz surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Schmaltz?
Name Census estimates that about 2,468 living Americans carry the surname Schmaltz. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 138,879 residents.
How common is Schmaltz?
Schmaltz ranks #13,511 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.72 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,152 people with the surname Schmaltz. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,468), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.72 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.72 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Schmaltz.
Has Schmaltz become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Schmaltz went from 2,461 recorded bearers to 2,152. That is a decrease of 309 (-12.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #12,581 to #13,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Schmaltz?
Among Census respondents with the surname Schmaltz, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.0%) and Hispanic (2.4%). 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 Schmaltz in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.3% (2,007 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Schmaltz appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.3%), Two or More Races (3.0%), Hispanic (2.4%). 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 Schmaltz (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 Schmaltz mean?
A German and Jewish occupational surname referring to someone who rendered animal fat or produced lard. 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 Schmaltz (0.72 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 Schmaltz?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.