2000
#132,259
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Stietz
A surname derived from a dialectal term for a sturdy or strong individual.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Stietz. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Stietz 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
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Stietz in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Stietz, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Stietz
The surname Stietz is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the 16th century. It originated in the region of Bavaria, specifically in the town of Stietz near the city of Regensburg. The name is believed to be derived from the Old High German word "stiez," which means "steep hill" or "cliff."
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Stietz can be found in the Regensburg church records from the year 1562, where a certain Hans Stietz is listed as a resident of the town. This entry provides evidence of the name's existence and usage during that time period.
In the 17th century, the Stietz family is documented as having been landowners in the village of Stietz, which was later incorporated into the neighboring town of Regenstauf. This suggests that the family had established itself as a prominent local presence in the region.
Notable individuals with the surname Stietz include Johann Stietz (1594-1667), a renowned clockmaker and inventor from Augsburg, who is credited with several pioneering designs and innovations in the field of horology. Another prominent figure was Katharina Stietz (1698-1782), a respected herbalist and healer from the village of Stietz, whose knowledge of medicinal plants was widely sought after in the region.
The name Stietz also appears in historical records from other parts of Germany, such as the city of Dresden, where a merchant named Hans Stietz (1612-1679) is mentioned as a prominent figure in the local trade guilds.
In the 19th century, the surname gained some recognition through the work of the German poet and writer Ludwig Stietz (1815-1892), whose poems and stories often drew inspiration from the rural landscapes and folklore of his native Bavaria.
Another notable individual was Wilhelm Stietz (1887-1966), a German engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of early automotive technology, working for companies like Daimler and Opel.
Throughout its history, the surname Stietz has undergone various spelling variations, including Stietz, Stitz, and Stiez, reflecting the regional dialects and linguistic influences of the areas where it was prevalent.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Stietz
Among Census respondents with the surname Stietz, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Stietz 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 Stietz surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.7% · 117
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 3
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Stietz
Stietz 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
#133,863
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
+8 bearers (+6.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,604 places
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
-5 bearers (-4.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,446 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #132,259 | 118 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,863 | 126 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+6.8%) | Down 1,604 places |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.0%) | Down 7,446 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 Stietz 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 | #133,863 | #141,309 | -5.6% |
| Count | 126 | 121 | -4.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 1.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Stietz bearers went from 126 to 121 (-4.0% change). The surname moved down 7,446 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,863 to #141,309.
FAQ
Stietz surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Stietz?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Stietz. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Stietz?
Stietz ranks #141,309 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 121 people with the surname Stietz. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), 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 Stietz.
Has Stietz become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Stietz went from 126 recorded bearers to 121. That is a decrease of 5 (-4.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,863 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Stietz?
Among Census respondents with the surname Stietz, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (0.8%). 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 Stietz in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.7% (117 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Stietz appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.7%), Hispanic (2.5%), Two or More Races (0.8%). 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 Stietz (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 Stietz mean?
A surname derived from a dialectal term for a sturdy or strong individual. 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 Stietz (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 Stietz?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Stietz on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.