2000
#142,819
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Steigner
A surname derived from the German word "Steig" meaning a steep path or climb.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Steigner. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Steigner 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
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Steigner in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Steigner, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.8%) and Hispanic (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Steigner
The surname Steigner is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in Bavaria and the surrounding areas. The name is derived from the Old German word "stein," which means "stone" or "rock," suggesting a connection to a place or occupation related to stonework or quarrying.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Steigner can be found in a document from the 13th century, where it appears as "Steiniger." This variation of the spelling highlights the influence of regional dialects and scribal practices during that time period. Over the centuries, the name underwent various transformations, eventually settling into its current form, Steigner.
Historical records indicate that the Steigner family played a notable role in the development of stonework and masonry trades in several German cities, including Nuremberg and Augsburg. In the 15th century, a master stonemason named Hans Steigner (1425-1492) gained recognition for his contributions to the construction of several churches and public buildings in Nuremberg.
Another prominent figure bearing the Steigner name was Johann Steigner (1537-1612), a renowned sculptor and architect from Augsburg. He was responsible for designing and overseeing the construction of several grand residences and public monuments in the city, leaving an indelible mark on its architectural landscape.
In the 18th century, the Steigner family expanded their influence beyond the realm of stonework and masonry. Matthias Steigner (1708-1784), a successful merchant and banker, established a prosperous trading company that facilitated the exchange of goods between Germany and neighboring countries.
The name Steigner also found its way into the literary world with the renowned German poet and playwright, Friedrich Steigner (1801-1872). His works, which explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition, garnered widespread acclaim and cemented his place in the annals of German literature.
As the Steigner family dispersed across various regions of Germany and beyond, their name became associated with diverse professions and pursuits, from engineering and construction to academia and the arts. However, the underlying connection to the word "stein" and its association with stonework remains a central part of the name's etymology and historical significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Steigner
Among Census respondents with the surname Steigner, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.8%) and Hispanic (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Steigner 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 Steigner surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.3% · 99
- Two or more races4.8% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Steigner
Steigner 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
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+3 bearers (+2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,576 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-5 bearers (-4.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,594 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #142,819 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.8%) | Down 6,576 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.5%) | Down 3,594 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 Steigner 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 | #152,989 | -2.4% |
| Count | 110 | 105 | -4.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Steigner bearers went from 110 to 105 (-4.5% change). The surname moved down 3,594 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #152,989.
FAQ
Steigner surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Steigner?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Steigner. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Steigner?
Steigner ranks #152,989 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 105 people with the surname Steigner. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), 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 Steigner.
Has Steigner become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Steigner went from 110 recorded bearers to 105. That is a decrease of 5 (-4.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #149,395 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Steigner?
Among Census respondents with the surname Steigner, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.8%) and Hispanic (1.0%). 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 Steigner in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.3% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Steigner appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.3%), Two or More Races (4.8%), Hispanic (1.0%). 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 Steigner (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 Steigner mean?
A surname derived from the German word "Steig" meaning a steep path or climb. 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 Steigner (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 Steigner?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the last name Steigner at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.