2000
#8,949
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,360
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.25
Rare Last name
Schmucker
A German occupational surname referring to a jeweler, goldsmith, or someone who adorns or decorates.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,227 Americans carry the last name Schmucker. That puts it at #7,082 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.52 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 65,574 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Schmucker 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
5.2K
1 in 65,574
Census rank
#7,082
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,558 bearers of the surname Schmucker in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.52 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7082nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Schmucker, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.2%) and Two or More Races (1.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Schmucker
The surname Schmucker originated in Germany, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "schmucker," which means "elegant" or "dapper." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive nickname for someone who was well-dressed or had a refined appearance.
The Schmucker name was particularly prevalent in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony in Germany. It was also found in areas of present-day Austria and Switzerland, as well as in parts of what is now the Czech Republic. Some variations in spelling included Schmuckerhuber, Schmuckherr, and Schmuckler.
One of the earliest known references to the Schmucker name can be found in the records of the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Bavaria, where a family by the name of Schmucker is mentioned in the late 16th century. Another early record comes from the town of Plauen in Saxony, where a Johannes Schmucker is listed in the church registers in the early 17th century.
As the Schmucker family spread throughout Germany and neighboring regions, they established themselves in various professions and trades. Notable individuals bearing this surname include Johann Schmucker (1771-1854), a German-American Lutheran minister and theologian who co-founded the Gettysburg Seminary in Pennsylvania.
Another notable figure was Samuel Mosheim Schmucker (1799-1873), an American Lutheran theologian and son of Johann Schmucker. He was an influential figure in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the United States and served as the president of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg.
In the 19th century, a branch of the Schmucker family settled in the Alsace region of France, where they adopted the French spelling of the name, Schmouker. One member of this family, Jean-Jacques Schmouker (1825-1899), became a prominent lawyer and politician in Strasbourg.
Additionally, the Schmucker name can be found in historical records from the town of Wurzburg in Bavaria, where a family by the name of Schmucker is mentioned in the late 17th century. One member of this family, Georg Schmucker (1679-1744), was a respected clockmaker and goldsmith in the town.
Throughout history, the Schmucker name has been associated with various professions, from clergy and academics to artisans and tradesmen. While the name may have originated as a descriptive nickname, it has since become a well-established surname with a rich history spanning several centuries and regions of Europe.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Schmucker
Among Census respondents with the surname Schmucker, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.2%) and Two or More Races (1.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Schmucker 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 Schmucker surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.1% · 4,425
- Hispanic or Latino1.2% · 54
- Two or more races1.1% · 51
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 14
- Black or African American0.2% · 10
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Schmucker
Schmucker 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
#7,695
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,314
+954 bearers (+28.4%)
Per 100,000 1.46
Rank movement Up 1,254 places
2020
#7,082
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,558
+244 bearers (+5.7%)
Per 100,000 1.52
Rank movement Up 613 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,949 | 3,360 | 1.25 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,695 | 4,314 | 1.46 | +954 bearers (+28.4%) | Up 1,254 places |
| 2020 | #7,082 | 4,558 | 1.52 | +244 bearers (+5.7%) | Up 613 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 Schmucker 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 | #7,695 | #7,082 | 8.0% |
| Count | 4,314 | 4,558 | 5.7% |
| Per 100K | 1.46 | 1.52 | 4.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Schmucker bearers went from 4,314 to 4,558 (+5.7% change). The surname moved up 613 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,695 to #7,082.
FAQ
Schmucker surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Schmucker?
Name Census estimates that about 5,227 living Americans carry the surname Schmucker. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 65,574 residents.
How common is Schmucker?
Schmucker ranks #7,082 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.52 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 4,558 people with the surname Schmucker. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,227), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.52 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.52 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 Schmucker.
Has Schmucker become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Schmucker went from 4,314 recorded bearers to 4,558. That is an increase of 244 (+5.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,695 to #7,082.
What does the Census say about the background of Schmucker?
Among Census respondents with the surname Schmucker, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.2%) and Two or More Races (1.1%). 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 Schmucker in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.1% (4,425 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Schmucker appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.1%), Hispanic (1.2%), Two or More Races (1.1%). 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 Schmucker (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 Schmucker mean?
A German occupational surname referring to a jeweler, goldsmith, or someone who adorns or decorates. 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 Schmucker (1.52 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 Schmucker?
See how many Americans have the surname Schmucker on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.