2000
#121,058
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 132
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Sternlieb
A German surname meaning "one who loves the stars" or "star lover".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Sternlieb. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sternlieb 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Sternlieb in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sternlieb, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sternlieb
The surname Sternlieb originates from Germany, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the late 15th century. It is derived from the German words "stern," meaning star, and "lieb," meaning love or beloved. The name likely referred to someone who was beloved like a shining star or someone who loved the stars.
One of the earliest known bearers of the Sternlieb surname was Hans Sternlieb, a merchant from Nuremberg who lived in the late 15th century. Records show that he was a successful trader and a respected member of the community.
Another notable individual with the Sternlieb name was Johann Sternlieb, a German astronomer and mathematician who lived in the 16th century. He made significant contributions to the field of astronomy and helped advance our understanding of the movements of celestial bodies.
In the 17th century, the Sternlieb family spread to various parts of Germany and neighboring regions. Some members of the family were involved in the arts and literature, such as Friedrich Sternlieb (1605-1677), a poet and playwright from Saxony.
The name Sternlieb can also be found in historical records from Switzerland and Austria. One notable figure was Heinrich Sternlieb (1792-1865), a Swiss politician and businessman who served as the mayor of Zurich in the mid-19th century.
As the Sternlieb family continued to spread across Europe, variations of the name emerged, such as Sternleb, Sternliev, and Sternliebt. In the 19th century, some members of the Sternlieb family emigrated to other parts of the world, including the United States and South America, where they integrated into new communities and cultures.
It is worth noting that the Sternlieb surname has been borne by individuals from various walks of life throughout history, including merchants, scholars, artists, and politicians. While not as widely known as some other surnames, the name Sternlieb has left its mark in the annals of history, particularly in Germany and neighboring regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sternlieb
Among Census respondents with the surname Sternlieb, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Sternlieb 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 Sternlieb surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.1% · 112
- Hispanic or Latino5.9% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sternlieb
Sternlieb 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
#117,480
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 148
+16 bearers (+12.1%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 3,578 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
-29 bearers (-19.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 25,308 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #121,058 | 132 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #117,480 | 148 | 0.05 | +16 bearers (+12.1%) | Up 3,578 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | -29 bearers (-19.6%) | Down 25,308 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 Sternlieb 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 | #117,480 | #142,788 | -21.5% |
| Count | 148 | 119 | -19.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -20.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sternlieb bearers went from 148 to 119 (-19.6% change). The surname moved down 25,308 positions in the national ranking, going from #117,480 to #142,788.
FAQ
Sternlieb surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sternlieb?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Sternlieb. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Sternlieb?
Sternlieb ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Sternlieb. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Sternlieb.
Has Sternlieb become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sternlieb went from 148 recorded bearers to 119. That is a decrease of 29 (-19.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #117,480 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Sternlieb?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sternlieb, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%). 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 Sternlieb in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.1% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sternlieb appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.1%), Hispanic (5.9%). 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 Sternlieb (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 Sternlieb mean?
A German surname meaning "one who loves the stars" or "star lover". 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 Sternlieb (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 have the surname Sternlieb?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.