2010
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Stelzl
A surname of German origin meaning "a walking stick or staff".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Stelzl. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Stelzl 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
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Stelzl in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Stelzl, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.2%) and Two or More Races (5.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Stelzl
The surname Stelzl is of German origin, with its roots traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the region of Bavaria, where it was likely derived from the German word "Stelze," which refers to a type of wooden stilts or crutches used for walking.
The earliest recorded instances of the Stelzl surname can be found in various historical documents from the 14th and 15th centuries, particularly in regions such as Nuremberg and Augsburg. These records often mention individuals with variations of the name, such as Stelzer or Steltzner, indicating a connection to the occupation or trade of making or using stilts.
One notable mention of the Stelzl name can be found in the Chronicles of Nuremberg, which document the city's history from the 12th to the 15th centuries. In these chronicles, there are references to individuals with the surname Stelzl, suggesting that the name was well-established in the region during that time period.
Throughout history, several prominent individuals have carried the Stelzl surname. One such figure was Johann Stelzl (1573-1638), a German engraver and printmaker from Augsburg. His intricate copperplate engravings and etchings were highly regarded during the Renaissance period.
Another notable Stelzl was Karl Stelzl (1805-1894), an Austrian architect and civil engineer who was instrumental in the construction of various railway lines and infrastructure projects in the Austrian Empire during the 19th century.
In the field of literature, Max Stelzl (1868-1931) was a German novelist and playwright known for his works depicting life in rural Bavaria. His novel "Der Lavendelbauer" (The Lavender Farmer) was particularly popular and celebrated for its vivid portrayal of Bavarian culture and traditions.
The Stelzl surname also has connections to various place names and geographical locations. For instance, the village of Stelzl in Lower Austria is believed to have derived its name from the surname itself, indicating the presence of Stelzl families in the area.
Additionally, the name Stelzlmühle, which translates to "Stelzl Mill," can be found in various regions of Germany and Austria, suggesting that Stelzl families may have been involved in the milling or agricultural industries in those areas.
Throughout the centuries, the Stelzl surname has maintained a strong presence, particularly in German-speaking regions, with numerous individuals carrying this name and contributing to various fields, including the arts, architecture, literature, and more.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Stelzl
Among Census respondents with the surname Stelzl, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.2%) and Two or More Races (5.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Stelzl 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 Stelzl surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.6% · 92
- Hispanic or Latino8.2% · 9
- Two or more races5.5% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Stelzl
Stelzl 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
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
-5 bearers (-4.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,305 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.3%) | Down 5,305 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 Stelzl 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 | #149,446 | -3.7% |
| Count | 115 | 110 | -4.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Stelzl bearers went from 115 to 110 (-4.3% change). The surname moved down 5,305 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #149,446.
FAQ
Stelzl surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Stelzl?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Stelzl. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Stelzl?
Stelzl ranks #149,446 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 110 people with the surname Stelzl. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), 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 Stelzl.
Has Stelzl become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Stelzl went from 115 recorded bearers to 110. That is a decrease of 5 (-4.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Stelzl?
Among Census respondents with the surname Stelzl, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.2%) and Two or More Races (5.5%). 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 Stelzl in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.6% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Stelzl appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.6%), Hispanic (8.2%), Two or More Races (5.5%). 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 Stelzl (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 Stelzl mean?
A surname of German origin meaning "a walking stick or staff". 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 Stelzl (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 Americans have the surname Stelzl?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.