Find out how popular the last name Shontz is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Shontz.

Shontz, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Shontz surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shontz in America

Shontz is the 40371st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shontz surname appeared 542 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Shontz.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shontz to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Shontz

The surname SHONTZ is believed to have originated in Germany, specifically in the region of Bavaria. It is thought to have emerged in the 15th or 16th century, though the exact origins are uncertain. Some linguists suggest that it may be derived from an old German word or phrase related to a person's occupation or physical characteristics.

One theory proposes that SHONTZ could be linked to the German word "schön," meaning "beautiful" or "handsome." This could indicate that the name was initially a descriptive nickname given to someone with an attractive appearance. Another possibility is that it stems from a place name or a variation of a German occupational surname, such as "Schönitz" or "Schönhütz."

While there are no definitive historical references to the SHONTZ name in major medieval records like the Domesday Book, some early examples of the surname can be found in German church records and local documents from the 16th and 17th centuries. These records often include variations in spelling, such as "Schöntz," "Schönz," or "Schönzl."

One of the earliest known individuals with the SHONTZ surname was Hans Schöntz, a German farmer born in the village of Rohrbach, Bavaria, around 1560. Another notable figure was Johann Schöntz, a Lutheran pastor who lived in Nuremberg, Germany, from 1620 to 1687.

In the 18th century, a prominent SHONTZ family resided in the town of Bamberg, Bavaria. Among them was Christoph Schöntz (1705-1782), a successful merchant and landowner. His son, Johann Friedrich Schöntz (1745-1821), was a respected lawyer and judge in the region.

As the SHONTZ surname spread beyond Germany, it also found its way to other parts of Europe and eventually to North America. One notable individual was Joseph Shontz (1810-1892), a German-born American immigrant who settled in Pennsylvania and became a prosperous farmer and community leader.

Another significant figure was Wilhelm Schöntz (1855-1925), a German-American engineer and inventor who played a crucial role in the development of early automobiles. He held numerous patents and worked for companies like Benz and Daimler in the late 19th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shontz

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Shontz.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Shontz was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Shontz has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Shontz was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Shontz, please contact us.

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