2000
#137,816
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Spanitz
A surname derived from the name of the German town Spandau.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Spanitz. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Spanitz 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
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Spanitz in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Spanitz, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.3%. The next largest groups are Black (1.8%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Spanitz
The surname Spanitz has its origins in Germany and dates back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "spanen," which means "to entice" or "to attract." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who was particularly charming or persuasive.
One of the earliest known references to the Spanitz name can be found in a document from the 13th century, which mentions a nobleman named Heinrich Spanitz. This record indicates that the name was already established in certain regions of Germany by that time.
In the 14th century, there are mentions of a family called Spanitz residing in the town of Erfurt, which was then part of the Holy Roman Empire. They were reportedly involved in various trades and held positions of influence within the local community.
The Spanitz name can also be traced back to the village of Spanitzhausen, located in the region of Saxony-Anhalt. This place name likely originated from the Spanitz family itself, suggesting that they had resided in the area for an extended period and had a significant presence there.
One notable figure bearing the Spanitz surname was Johann Spanitz (1570-1642), a German theologian and author who served as a professor at the University of Leipzig. He wrote several influential works on theology and religious philosophy during his lifetime.
Another historical figure was Christoph Spanitz (1612-1679), a German composer and organist who was active in the Baroque era. He held prestigious positions at various churches in Germany and composed numerous sacred works that were widely performed during his time.
In the 18th century, a merchant named Friedrich Spanitz (1725-1798) gained recognition for his successful business ventures and philanthropic efforts. He was instrumental in establishing several charitable institutions in his hometown and was highly respected for his contributions to the local community.
It is worth noting that variations in spelling, such as Spaniz, Spannitz, or Spanitsch, were also encountered in historical records, reflecting regional dialects and linguistic variations over time.
While the Spanitz surname may not be among the most common in modern times, its rich history and connections to notable figures in various fields make it a fascinating subject of study for those interested in the origins and evolution of German surnames.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Spanitz
Among Census respondents with the surname Spanitz, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.3%. The next largest groups are Black (1.8%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Spanitz 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 Spanitz surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.3% · 105
- Black or African American1.8% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Spanitz
Spanitz 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
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+3 bearers (+2.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,325 places
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-6 bearers (-5.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,064 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #137,816 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.7%) | Down 6,325 places |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.2%) | Down 6,064 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 Spanitz 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 | #144,141 | #150,205 | -4.2% |
| Count | 115 | 109 | -5.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Spanitz bearers went from 115 to 109 (-5.2% change). The surname moved down 6,064 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #150,205.
FAQ
Spanitz surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Spanitz?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Spanitz. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Spanitz?
Spanitz ranks #150,205 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 109 people with the surname Spanitz. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Spanitz.
Has Spanitz become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Spanitz went from 115 recorded bearers to 109. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Spanitz?
Among Census respondents with the surname Spanitz, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.3%. The next largest groups are Black (1.8%) and Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Spanitz in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.3% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Spanitz appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.3%), Black (1.8%), Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Spanitz (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 Spanitz mean?
A surname derived from the name of the German town Spandau. 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 Spanitz (0.04 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 Spanitz?
You can see how common the surname Spanitz is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.