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

Sterbenz, 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 Sterbenz surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sterbenz in America

Sterbenz is the 44423rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sterbenz surname appeared 484 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 Sterbenz.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sterbenz 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 Sterbenz

The surname Sterbenz is of German origin, with roots tracing back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the German word "Stern," meaning star, and "Benz," a shortened form of the name Benno or Bernhard. This combination suggests the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a star-shaped marker or landmark.

In the early records, the name appeared with various spellings, such as Sternbenz, Sternbennz, and Stermbenz. The earliest known reference to the name dates back to 1587 in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where a certain Hans Sterbenz was listed as a resident.

One of the earliest notable figures with this surname was Johann Sterbenz, a Lutheran minister born in 1612 in Nürnberg. He played a significant role in the religious and cultural life of the city during the turbulent times of the Thirty Years' War.

In the 18th century, the name Sterbenz appeared in several genealogical records from the regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. A noteworthy individual from this period was Karl Sterbenz (1721-1798), a celebrated woodcarver and sculptor whose intricate works adorned several churches and monasteries in southern Germany.

As the centuries progressed, the name spread across various regions of Germany and beyond. In 1856, a certain Wilhelm Sterbenz (1832-1901) emigrated from Stuttgart to the United States, settling in Pennsylvania. He later became a prominent figure in the local German-American community, founding a successful printing press and publishing house.

Another remarkable individual was Emilie Sterbenz (1865-1943), a pioneering German educator and advocate for women's rights. She established several schools and educational programs for girls in Berlin and actively campaigned for equal opportunities in education and employment.

The name Sterbenz has also been associated with several place names, such as Sternbenzberg, a small village in Bavaria, and Sternbenzwald, a forested area near the town of Erfurt in Thuringia.

While the surname Sterbenz is not among the most common in Germany, it has left its mark on various aspects of German history and culture, from religion and art to education and entrepreneurship.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sterbenz

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

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 Sterbenz 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 Sterbenz 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 Sterbenz was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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