2000
#60,706
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 310
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.11
Very Rare Last name
Schurz
A German surname meaning someone who lived near or worked at a shelter or hut.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 403 Americans carry the last name Schurz. That puts it at #61,734 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.12 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 850,507 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Schurz 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
403
1 in 850,507
Census rank
#61,734
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
351
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 351 bearers of the surname Schurz in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.12 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 61734th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Schurz, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (26.2%) and Two or More Races (4.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Schurz
The surname SCHURZ originated in the German-speaking regions of Europe, specifically in the areas that are now Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "schurz," which referred to a type of apron or garment worn by workers, artisans, and craftsmen.
The earliest recorded instances of the SCHURZ surname can be traced back to the late 13th century and early 14th century. One notable mention is found in the Würzburg City Records, dated around 1290, which reference a person named "Cunradus dictus Schurz." This suggests that the name was already in use as a distinguishing surname during this period.
In the 15th century, the SCHURZ surname appeared in various historical records and documents across German-speaking regions. For example, a person named "Hans Schurz" was mentioned in the city records of Nürnberg in 1457, while a "Jorg Schurz" was recorded in the town of Rottenburg in 1489.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the SCHURZ surname was Johannes Schurz (c. 1450-1520), a German theologian and reformer who was influential during the Protestant Reformation. He was born in Bräunlingen, a town in the Black Forest region of Germany, and is recognized for his contributions to the spread of Lutheran teachings.
Another notable figure was David Schurz (1598-1664), a German composer and organist who lived during the Baroque period. He was born in Hauingen, a town in the present-day state of Baden-Württemberg, and is best known for his sacred choral works and organ compositions.
In the 19th century, Carl Schurz (1829-1906) was a prominent German-American statesman and journalist. He was born in Liblar, near Cologne, and later emigrated to the United States, where he served as a Union Army general during the American Civil War and held various government positions, including Secretary of the Interior under President Rutherford B. Hayes.
The SCHURZ surname has also been associated with various place names and geographical locations throughout German-speaking regions. For instance, the town of Schurzenbach in the Swiss canton of St. Gallen is believed to have derived its name from the SCHURZ surname, suggesting the presence of individuals with this name in the area.
While the SCHURZ surname is still prevalent in German-speaking countries, it has also been carried by individuals who emigrated to other parts of the world, including the Americas and other European nations, contributing to its global spread and diversity.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Schurz
Among Census respondents with the surname Schurz, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (26.2%) and Two or More Races (4.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Schurz 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 Schurz surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White65.2% · 229
- American Indian and Alaska Native26.2% · 92
- Two or more races4.8% · 17
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 9
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Schurz
Schurz 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
#63,218
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 316
+6 bearers (+1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.11
Rank movement Down 2,512 places
2020
#61,734
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 351
+35 bearers (+11.1%)
Per 100,000 0.12
Rank movement Up 1,484 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #60,706 | 310 | 0.11 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #63,218 | 316 | 0.11 | +6 bearers (+1.9%) | Down 2,512 places |
| 2020 | #61,734 | 351 | 0.12 | +35 bearers (+11.1%) | Up 1,484 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 Schurz 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 | #63,218 | #61,734 | 2.3% |
| Count | 316 | 351 | 11.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.11 | 0.12 | 6.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Schurz bearers went from 316 to 351 (+11.1% change). The surname moved up 1,484 positions in the national ranking, going from #63,218 to #61,734.
FAQ
Schurz surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Schurz?
Name Census estimates that about 403 living Americans carry the surname Schurz. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 850,507 residents.
How common is Schurz?
Schurz ranks #61,734 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.12 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 351 people with the surname Schurz. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (403), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.12 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.12 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 Schurz.
Has Schurz become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Schurz went from 316 recorded bearers to 351. That is an increase of 35 (+11.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #63,218 to #61,734.
What does the Census say about the background of Schurz?
Among Census respondents with the surname Schurz, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (26.2%) 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 Schurz in the 2020 Census, accounting for 65.2% (229 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Schurz appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (65.2%), American Indian/Alaska Native (26.2%), 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 Schurz (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 Schurz mean?
A German surname meaning someone who lived near or worked at a shelter or hut. 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 Schurz (0.12 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 are called Schurz?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Schurz is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.