2000
#105,374
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 157
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Schweig
A Germanic surname meaning "silent" or "quiet".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 209 Americans carry the last name Schweig. That puts it at #104,723 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,639,973 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Schweig 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
209
1 in 1,639,973
Census rank
#104,723
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
182
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 182 bearers of the surname Schweig in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 104723rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Schweig, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Schweig
The surname SCHWEIG is believed to have originated in Germany during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the German word "schweigen," which means "to be silent" or "to keep quiet." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who was known for their quiet or reserved demeanor.
In the early 13th century, the name SCHWEIG appeared in various records and manuscripts from the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. It was often spelled in different ways, such as "Schweiger," "Schweyger," or "Schweigar," reflecting the regional variations in language and spelling conventions of the time.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name SCHWEIG can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of medieval documents from Saxony, dating back to the year 1235. In this document, a certain "Henricus Schweiger" is listed as a witness to a land transaction.
During the 14th century, the name SCHWEIG became more widespread across German-speaking regions, and it was often associated with various place names. For instance, there were records of individuals named "SCHWEIG von Augsburg" (SCHWEIG of Augsburg) or "SCHWEIG von Nürnberg" (SCHWEIG of Nuremberg), indicating their place of origin or residence.
One notable figure bearing the surname SCHWEIG was Johann SCHWEIG (1446-1521), a German merchant and banker from Augsburg. He was known for his successful trading ventures and his involvement in financing various political and religious endeavors of the time.
Another individual of historical significance was Anna SCHWEIG (1525-1588), a German Protestant writer and reformer. She was influential in the early years of the Protestant Reformation and is remembered for her literary works promoting the new religious ideas.
In the 16th century, the SCHWEIG family gained prominence in the city of Leipzig, where several members held influential positions in the local government and guilds. One such individual was Hans SCHWEIG (1573-1642), who served as the mayor of Leipzig from 1627 to 1631.
During the 17th century, the SCHWEIG surname spread further across German-speaking regions, and it also appeared in records from neighboring countries like Austria and Switzerland. One notable bearer of the name was Jakob SCHWEIG (1631-1698), a Swiss theologian and philosopher who made significant contributions to the field of natural philosophy.
Another prominent figure was Georg Friedrich SCHWEIG (1692-1771), a German composer and organist. He was renowned for his contributions to the development of baroque music and is especially remembered for his organ compositions and choral works.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Schweig
Among Census respondents with the surname Schweig, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Schweig 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 Schweig surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.9% · 169
- Two or more races2.7% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino2.2% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 2
- Black or African American0.5% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Schweig
Schweig 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
#103,181
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 174
+17 bearers (+10.8%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 2,193 places
2020
#104,723
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 182
+8 bearers (+4.6%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 1,542 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #105,374 | 157 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #103,181 | 174 | 0.06 | +17 bearers (+10.8%) | Up 2,193 places |
| 2020 | #104,723 | 182 | 0.06 | +8 bearers (+4.6%) | Down 1,542 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 Schweig 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 | #103,181 | #104,723 | -1.5% |
| Count | 174 | 182 | 4.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.06 | 1.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Schweig bearers went from 174 to 182 (+4.6% change). The surname moved down 1,542 positions in the national ranking, going from #103,181 to #104,723.
FAQ
Schweig surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Schweig?
Name Census estimates that about 209 living Americans carry the surname Schweig. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,639,973 residents.
How common is Schweig?
Schweig ranks #104,723 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.06 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 182 people with the surname Schweig. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (209), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.06 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 Schweig.
Has Schweig become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Schweig went from 174 recorded bearers to 182. That is an increase of 8 (+4.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #103,181 to #104,723.
What does the Census say about the background of Schweig?
Among Census respondents with the surname Schweig, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (2.2%). 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 Schweig in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.9% (169 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Schweig appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.9%), Two or More Races (2.7%), Hispanic (2.2%). 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 Schweig (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 Schweig mean?
A Germanic surname meaning "silent" or "quiet". 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 Schweig (0.06 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 Schweig?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.