2000
#6,479
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,834
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.79
Rare Last name
Schuh
An occupational surname of German origin referring to a shoemaker or cobbler.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,632 Americans carry the last name Schuh. That puts it at #6,615 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.64 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 60,858 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Schuh 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
5.6K
1 in 60,858
Census rank
#6,615
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,911 bearers of the surname Schuh in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.64 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6615th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Schuh, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Schuh
The surname SCHUH is of German origin, originating in the Middle Ages. It is derived from the German word "Schuh," meaning "shoe." The name likely referred to an occupation, indicating that the original bearer was a shoemaker or worked in a related trade.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname SCHUH can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Germany, such as Bavaria and Saxony. In these areas, the name was often spelled as "Schuoch" or "Schuhe," reflecting the linguistic variations of the time.
One of the earliest known references to the name SCHUH is found in the Würzburg Cathedral records from 1295, where a certain "Henricus Schuoch" is mentioned. This suggests that the surname was already well-established in the region by the late 13th century.
In the 14th century, the name SCHUH appeared in various historical documents, including the municipal records of cities like Nuremberg and Augsburg. For example, a "Johannes Schuhe" is recorded as a citizen of Nuremberg in 1347.
As the surname spread, it also evolved into different spellings and variations. In some regions of Germany, it was recorded as "Schuh," while in others, it was written as "Schuhe" or "Schuch." These variations often reflected local dialects and linguistic traditions.
Notable individuals with the surname SCHUH throughout history include:
1. Johann Schuh (1539-1617), a German theologian and Protestant reformer from Nuremberg.
2. Hans Schuh (1610-1680), a German artist and engraver known for his intricate woodcuts and etchings.
3. Georg Schuh (1756-1828), a German composer and violinist who served as the court musician in Mannheim.
4. Karl Schuh (1871-1949), an Austrian politician and journalist who served as the mayor of Vienna from 1932 to 1934.
5. Wilhelm Schuh (1900-1968), a German author and playwright, known for his novels and plays depicting life in rural Bavaria.
The surname SCHUH was also present in various Germanic regions beyond Germany, as evidenced by historical records from Switzerland, Austria, and other areas with significant German-speaking populations. Over time, the name spread further through migration and immigration, ultimately becoming established in various parts of the world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Schuh
Among Census respondents with the surname Schuh, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Schuh 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 Schuh surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.4% · 4,589
- Two or more races2.7% · 132
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 127
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 37
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 15
- Black or African American0.2% · 11
Timeline
Historical Census data for Schuh
Schuh 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
#6,777
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,976
+142 bearers (+2.9%)
Per 100,000 1.69
Rank movement Down 298 places
2020
#6,615
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,911
-65 bearers (-1.3%)
Per 100,000 1.64
Rank movement Up 162 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,479 | 4,834 | 1.79 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,777 | 4,976 | 1.69 | +142 bearers (+2.9%) | Down 298 places |
| 2020 | #6,615 | 4,911 | 1.64 | -65 bearers (-1.3%) | Up 162 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 Schuh 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 | #6,777 | #6,615 | 2.4% |
| Count | 4,976 | 4,911 | -1.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.69 | 1.64 | -2.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Schuh bearers went from 4,976 to 4,911 (-1.3% change). The surname moved up 162 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,777 to #6,615.
FAQ
Schuh surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Schuh?
Name Census estimates that about 5,632 living Americans carry the surname Schuh. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 60,858 residents.
How common is Schuh?
Schuh ranks #6,615 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.64 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 4,911 people with the surname Schuh. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,632), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.64 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.64 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 Schuh.
Has Schuh become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Schuh went from 4,976 recorded bearers to 4,911. That is a decrease of 65 (-1.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #6,777 to #6,615.
What does the Census say about the background of Schuh?
Among Census respondents with the surname Schuh, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Schuh in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.4% (4,589 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Schuh appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.4%), Two or More Races (2.7%), Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Schuh (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 Schuh mean?
An occupational surname of German origin referring to a shoemaker or cobbler. 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 Schuh (1.64 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 Schuh?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Schuh on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.