2000
#13,812
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,009
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.74
Rare Last name
Schmelzer
A German occupational surname referring to a person who melts or smelts metal ore.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,316 Americans carry the last name Schmelzer. That puts it at #14,265 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.68 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 147,994 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Schmelzer 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
2.3K
1 in 147,994
Census rank
#14,265
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,020 bearers of the surname Schmelzer in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.68 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14265th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Schmelzer, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.2%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Schmelzer
The surname Schmelzer is of German origin and dates back to the 14th century. It is derived from the German word "schmelzer," which means "smelter" or "one who melts metals." The name likely originated in areas where metalworking and mining were common occupations, such as in the regions of Bavaria, Saxony, and Silesia.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the records of the city of Freiberg, Saxony, where a certain Hans Schmelzer was listed as a citizen in 1385. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the late Middle Ages.
In the 16th century, the Schmelzer family was prominent in the city of Nürnberg, known for its metalworking and mining industries. Johann Schmelzer (1592-1668), a well-known composer and violinist, was born in this city and served as the Kapellmeister (music director) at the imperial court in Vienna.
Another notable bearer of the name was Johann Heinrich Schmelzer (1623-1680), a renowned composer and violinist who served as the Kapellmeister at the court of Emperor Leopold I in Vienna. He was a leading figure in the development of the Austrian Baroque style and influenced composers such as Johann Joseph Fux and Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber.
In the 18th century, the name appeared in various records across German-speaking regions. For instance, a certain Christoph Schmelzer (1699-1768) was a prominent architect and builder in the city of Bamberg, Bavaria, responsible for the construction of several notable buildings.
The name Schmelzer can also be found in historical records from other parts of Europe, such as the Czech Republic, where it may have been introduced by German settlers. One example is Václav Schmelzer (1860-1932), a Czech architect and builder who was active in Prague and other cities.
Throughout its history, the surname Schmelzer has been associated with various professions related to metalworking, mining, and construction, reflecting its occupational origins. While the name may have evolved over time, it remains a testament to the rich heritage and cultural traditions of German-speaking regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Schmelzer
Among Census respondents with the surname Schmelzer, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.2%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Schmelzer 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 Schmelzer surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.2% · 1,923
- Hispanic or Latino2.2% · 44
- Two or more races1.9% · 38
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 8
- Black or African American0.3% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Schmelzer
Schmelzer 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
#14,537
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,050
+41 bearers (+2.0%)
Per 100,000 0.69
Rank movement Down 725 places
2020
#14,265
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,020
-30 bearers (-1.5%)
Per 100,000 0.68
Rank movement Up 272 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,812 | 2,009 | 0.74 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,537 | 2,050 | 0.69 | +41 bearers (+2.0%) | Down 725 places |
| 2020 | #14,265 | 2,020 | 0.68 | -30 bearers (-1.5%) | Up 272 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 Schmelzer 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 | #14,537 | #14,265 | 1.9% |
| Count | 2,050 | 2,020 | -1.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.69 | 0.68 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Schmelzer bearers went from 2,050 to 2,020 (-1.5% change). The surname moved up 272 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,537 to #14,265.
FAQ
Schmelzer surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Schmelzer?
Name Census estimates that about 2,316 living Americans carry the surname Schmelzer. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 147,994 residents.
How common is Schmelzer?
Schmelzer ranks #14,265 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.68 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 2,020 people with the surname Schmelzer. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,316), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.68 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.68 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 Schmelzer.
Has Schmelzer become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Schmelzer went from 2,050 recorded bearers to 2,020. That is a decrease of 30 (-1.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #14,537 to #14,265.
What does the Census say about the background of Schmelzer?
Among Census respondents with the surname Schmelzer, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.2%) and Two or More Races (1.9%). 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 Schmelzer in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.2% (1,923 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Schmelzer appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.2%), Hispanic (2.2%), Two or More Races (1.9%). 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 Schmelzer (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 Schmelzer mean?
A German occupational surname referring to a person who melts or smelts metal ore. 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 Schmelzer (0.68 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 have the last name Schmelzer?
If you just want to know how many people have the last name Schmelzer, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.