2000
#137,816
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Schnetter
A Germanic occupational surname denoting one who carved wood ornamentally.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 119 Americans carry the last name Schnetter. That puts it at #153,590 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,880,289 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Schnetter 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
119
1 in 2,880,289
Census rank
#153,590
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
104
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 104 bearers of the surname Schnetter in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 153590th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Schnetter, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%) and Two or More Races (4.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Schnetter
The surname Schnetter is of German origin, with its roots tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated from the Lower Rhine region of Germany, around the 13th or 14th century.
One theory suggests that the name Schnetter is derived from the Old German word "schnitter," which translates to "reaper" or "harvester." This could indicate that the earliest bearers of this surname were individuals involved in agricultural work, particularly during the harvest season.
Another possible origin of the name is that it may have been a nickname given to someone who had a distinctive way of speaking or a particular vocal quality, such as a high-pitched or sharp voice. In this case, the name could be related to the German word "schnattern," which means "to chatter" or "to prattle."
Historically, the name Schnetter has been recorded in various forms, including Schnetter, Schnetter, and Schneter. Some of the earliest mentions of the name can be found in old parish records and census documents from the Rhineland region of Germany.
One notable historical figure bearing the surname Schnetter was Johann Schnetter (1592-1667), a German Protestant theologian and philosopher who served as a professor at the University of Wittenberg. He was a prominent figure in the Lutheran church and authored several influential works on theology and philosophy.
In the 18th century, Johann Michael Schnetter (1728-1804) was a German composer and organist who worked in the service of the Prince-Bishop of Würzburg. His compositions, primarily for the organ and church choirs, were widely performed and appreciated during his time.
Another notable individual was Carl Schnetter (1834-1912), a German-American architect and civil engineer who was instrumental in the design and construction of several landmark buildings in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, including the Milwaukee City Hall and the Pabst Theater.
In the field of literature, Theodor Schnetter (1856-1933) was a German writer and poet known for his works that celebrated rural life and the beauty of nature. His poetry collections, such as "Aus der Heimat" (From the Homeland), were widely acclaimed and contributed to the literary movement known as Heimatdichtung (homeland poetry).
Finally, in the 20th century, Oskar Schnetter (1887-1958) was a German politician and member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). He served as a member of the Reichstag (the German parliament) during the Weimar Republic and was a vocal critic of the Nazi regime.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Schnetter
Among Census respondents with the surname Schnetter, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%) and Two or More Races (4.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Schnetter 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 Schnetter surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.5% · 91
- Hispanic or Latino4.8% · 5
- Two or more races4.8% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.9% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Schnetter
Schnetter 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
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
-12 bearers (-10.7%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 23,159 places
2020
#153,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
+4 bearers (+4.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 7,385 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #137,816 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | -12 bearers (-10.7%) | Down 23,159 places |
| 2020 | #153,590 | 104 | 0.03 | +4 bearers (+4.0%) | Up 7,385 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 Schnetter 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 | #160,975 | #153,590 | 4.6% |
| Count | 100 | 104 | 4.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 16.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Schnetter bearers went from 100 to 104 (+4.0% change). The surname moved up 7,385 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #153,590.
FAQ
Schnetter surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Schnetter?
Name Census estimates that about 119 living Americans carry the surname Schnetter. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,880,289 residents.
How common is Schnetter?
Schnetter ranks #153,590 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 104 people with the surname Schnetter. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (119), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Schnetter.
Has Schnetter become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Schnetter went from 100 recorded bearers to 104. That is an increase of 4 (+4.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #153,590.
What does the Census say about the background of Schnetter?
Among Census respondents with the surname Schnetter, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%) and Two or More Races (4.8%). 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 Schnetter in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.5% (91 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Schnetter appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.5%), Hispanic (4.8%), Two or More Races (4.8%). 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 Schnetter (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 Schnetter mean?
A Germanic occupational surname denoting one who carved wood ornamentally. 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 Schnetter (0.03 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 Schnetter?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.