2010
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Spannaus
A German surname likely derived from "spann," meaning "distance" or "span."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Spannaus. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Spannaus 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Spannaus in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Spannaus, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.7%) and Two or More Races (8.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Spannaus
The surname Spannaus originated in Germany, tracing its roots back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "spannen," which means "to span" or "to stretch." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a profession or occupation related to stretching or spanning materials, such as a weaver or a rope-maker.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Spannaus can be found in the parish records of the town of Bremerhaven, located in the northern region of Germany, dating back to the late 1500s. The name appeared in various spellings, including "Spanhaus" and "Spannhausen," reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time.
In the 17th century, the Spannaus name began to spread across other parts of Germany, particularly in the regions of Saxony and Bavaria. Historical records from this period indicate that several members of the Spannaus family were engaged in various trades, such as blacksmithing, carpentry, and farming.
A notable figure bearing the Spannaus surname was Johann Spannaus (1601-1674), a respected scholar and theologian who served as a professor at the University of Leipzig. His work on biblical exegesis and theological discourse had a significant impact on the academic community of his time.
Another historical figure of note was Friedrich Spannaus (1725-1798), a renowned architect from the city of Dresden. He was responsible for the design and construction of several iconic buildings, including the Frauenkirche, one of Dresden's most famous landmarks, which was sadly destroyed during World War II but has since been meticulously restored.
In the 19th century, the Spannaus name found its way to other parts of Europe, as well as to the Americas, as a result of emigration. One notable individual from this period was Wilhelm Spannaus (1835-1912), a German-American entrepreneur who established a successful brewing company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, contributing to the city's rich beer-making tradition.
Another prominent figure was Anna Spannaus (1871-1943), a German activist and feminist who played a significant role in the women's suffrage movement. She tirelessly advocated for gender equality and women's rights, leaving a lasting legacy in the fight for social justice.
As the centuries passed, the Spannaus name continued to spread across various regions and cultures, with individuals making their mark in diverse fields, from academia and architecture to business and activism.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Spannaus
Among Census respondents with the surname Spannaus, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.7%) and Two or More Races (8.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Spannaus 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 Spannaus surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White72.6% · 82
- Hispanic or Latino9.7% · 11
- Two or more races8.8% · 10
- Black or African American5.3% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Spannaus
Spannaus appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+3 bearers (+2.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,174 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.7%) | Up 2,174 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 Spannaus 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 | #149,395 | #147,221 | 1.5% |
| Count | 110 | 113 | 2.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Spannaus bearers went from 110 to 113 (+2.7% change). The surname moved up 2,174 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #147,221.
FAQ
Spannaus surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Spannaus?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Spannaus. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Spannaus?
Spannaus ranks #147,221 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 113 people with the surname Spannaus. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), 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 Spannaus.
Has Spannaus become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Spannaus went from 110 recorded bearers to 113. That is an increase of 3 (+2.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #149,395 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Spannaus?
Among Census respondents with the surname Spannaus, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.7%) and Two or More Races (8.8%). 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 Spannaus in the 2020 Census, accounting for 72.6% (82 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Spannaus appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (72.6%), Hispanic (9.7%), Two or More Races (8.8%). 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 Spannaus (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 Spannaus mean?
A German surname likely derived from "spann," meaning "distance" or "span." 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 Spannaus (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 common is the surname Spannaus?
See how common the surname Spannaus is on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.