2000
#108,153
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 152
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Seltman
Of Scandinavian origin, a topographic surname for someone living near a small stream or rivulet.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 167 Americans carry the last name Seltman. That puts it at #123,817 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,052,421 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Seltman 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
167
1 in 2,052,421
Census rank
#123,817
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
146
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 146 bearers of the surname Seltman in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 123817th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Seltman, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.1%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Seltman
The surname Seltman originated in Germany, likely emerging in the early 16th century. It is derived from the German word "Selten," meaning "rare" or "uncommon," suggesting that the name may have been given to someone with an unusual occupation or trait.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Seltman surname can be found in the parish records of the town of Worms, Germany, dating back to the late 1500s. The name is also mentioned in various local chronicles and court documents from the region during the 17th and 18th centuries.
In the 19th century, the Seltman name began to spread beyond Germany, with records showing individuals bearing this surname in neighboring countries like Austria and Switzerland. Johannes Seltman (1804-1879), a prominent German theologian and scholar, is one of the notable figures associated with this name during this period.
As the Seltman family continued to expand and migrate, the name made its way to other parts of Europe and eventually to the Americas. One of the earliest known Seltmans in the United States was Johann Seltman (1820-1892), a German immigrant who settled in Pennsylvania in the mid-19th century.
Throughout history, several individuals with the Seltman surname have made notable contributions in various fields. For instance, Karl Seltman (1888-1957) was a renowned German linguist and author, known for his work on the Germanic languages. Another notable figure was Paul Seltman (1901-1985), a British numismatist and expert on ancient Greek coinage.
In the realm of literature, the German author and poet, Friedrich Seltman (1856-1922), gained recognition for his contributions to the Naturalist movement in literature. Similarly, the American writer and journalist, Charles Seltman (1873-1957), left his mark with his work on social and political issues.
While the Seltman surname may not be among the most common, it has a rich history and has been borne by individuals who have made significant contributions across various disciplines throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Seltman
Among Census respondents with the surname Seltman, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.1%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Seltman 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 Seltman surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.9% · 140
- Hispanic or Latino2.1% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.4% · 2
- Two or more races0.7% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Seltman
Seltman 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
#129,047
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 132
-20 bearers (-13.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 20,894 places
2020
#123,817
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 146
+14 bearers (+10.6%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 5,230 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #108,153 | 152 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #129,047 | 132 | 0.04 | -20 bearers (-13.2%) | Down 20,894 places |
| 2020 | #123,817 | 146 | 0.05 | +14 bearers (+10.6%) | Up 5,230 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 Seltman 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 | #129,047 | #123,817 | 4.1% |
| Count | 132 | 146 | 10.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.05 | 22.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Seltman bearers went from 132 to 146 (+10.6% change). The surname moved up 5,230 positions in the national ranking, going from #129,047 to #123,817.
FAQ
Seltman surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Seltman?
Name Census estimates that about 167 living Americans carry the surname Seltman. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,052,421 residents.
How common is Seltman?
Seltman ranks #123,817 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 146 people with the surname Seltman. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (167), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Seltman.
Has Seltman become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Seltman went from 132 recorded bearers to 146. That is an increase of 14 (+10.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #129,047 to #123,817.
What does the Census say about the background of Seltman?
Among Census respondents with the surname Seltman, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.1%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.4%). 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 Seltman in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.9% (140 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Seltman appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.9%), Hispanic (2.1%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.4%). 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 Seltman (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 Seltman mean?
Of Scandinavian origin, a topographic surname for someone living near a small stream or rivulet. 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 Seltman (0.05 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 share the surname Seltman?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.