2010
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Schotzko
A surname of German/Czech origin derived from a diminutive of 'Scholz', meaning woodcutter or forester.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Schotzko. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Schotzko 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
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Schotzko in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Schotzko, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Schotzko
The surname Schotzko is believed to have its origins in the present-day Czech Republic, specifically in the region of Moravia. It likely emerged in the late Middle Ages, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Czech word "schötz," meaning "scion" or "shoot," suggesting that the original bearer of the name may have been a person associated with the cultivation or tending of plants or trees.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Schotzko can be found in a land registry document from the town of Brno, dated around 1450. The entry refers to a certain "Jan Schotzko," who is listed as a landowner and farmer. This suggests that the name was already established in the region at that time.
In the 16th century, the name appears in the records of the Moravian town of Olomouc, where a family by the name of Schotzko is mentioned as prominent merchants and traders. This indicates that the name had gained some prominence and recognition within the local community.
During the 17th century, several Schotzko individuals are noted in the church records of the village of Velká Bystřice, near the city of Olomouc. These records include baptismal, marriage, and burial entries, indicating that the name had become well-established in the area.
One notable figure bearing the Schotzko name was Karel Schotzko (1803-1879), a Czech botanist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of plant life in Moravia. His extensive collection of botanical specimens is now housed in the Moravian Museum in Brno.
Another individual of note was Josef Schotzko (1821-1895), a prominent Czech artist and painter who specialized in landscapes and religious scenes. His works can be found in several churches and galleries throughout the Czech Republic.
In the late 19th century, the name Schotzko appears in immigration records of individuals arriving in the United States from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This suggests that some members of the Schotzko family may have migrated to America during this period.
One such individual was Anna Schotzko (1865-1938), who settled in Chicago and became a successful businesswoman, operating a bakery and confectionery shop in the city's vibrant Czech community.
Another notable Schotzko figure was Jan Schotzko (1879-1947), a Czech-American engineer and inventor who obtained several patents for his innovations in the field of mining machinery. He lived and worked in Pennsylvania for much of his life.
While the surname Schotzko is not among the most common in the Czech Republic today, it continues to hold a place in the country's historical records and cultural heritage, reflecting the contributions of individuals who bore this name throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Schotzko
Among Census respondents with the surname Schotzko, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Schotzko 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 Schotzko surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.5% · 104
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Schotzko
Schotzko appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+7 bearers (+6.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 7,788 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.8%) | Up 7,788 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 Schotzko 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 | #157,234 | #149,446 | 5.0% |
| Count | 103 | 110 | 6.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 22.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Schotzko bearers went from 103 to 110 (+6.8% change). The surname moved up 7,788 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #149,446.
FAQ
Schotzko surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Schotzko?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Schotzko. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Schotzko?
Schotzko ranks #149,446 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 110 people with the surname Schotzko. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Schotzko.
Has Schotzko become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Schotzko went from 103 recorded bearers to 110. That is an increase of 7 (+6.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Schotzko?
Among Census respondents with the surname Schotzko, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%). 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 Schotzko in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.5% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Schotzko appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%). 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 Schotzko (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 Schotzko mean?
A surname of German/Czech origin derived from a diminutive of 'Scholz', meaning woodcutter or forester. 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 Schotzko (0.04 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 common is the surname Schotzko?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Schotzko on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.