Stolberg
A German topographic surname denoting someone from the town of Stolberg.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 754 Americans carry the last name Stolberg. That puts it at #34,835 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.22 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 454,581 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Stolberg surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
754
1 in 454,581
Census rank
#34,835
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
648
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 648 bearers of the surname Stolberg in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.22 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 34835th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Stolberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.0%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Stolberg
The surname Stolberg originated in Germany, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the German place name "Stolberg," which means "proud mountain" or "lofty hill." The name is thought to be related to the town of Stolberg, located in the Harz Mountains of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.
The earliest known record of the Stolberg name appears in a 13th-century document from the region of Saxony-Anhalt, where it was used to identify an individual from the town of Stolberg. Over time, the name spread to other parts of Germany and eventually to other countries as people migrated.
One notable historical figure with the surname Stolberg was Albrecht von Stolberg-Wernigerode (1508-1574), a German count and Protestant reformer who played a significant role in the Reformation. He was a supporter of Martin Luther and helped to establish Protestantism in his territories.
Another prominent individual with the Stolberg surname was Christian Ernst Graf zu Stolberg-Wernigerode (1691-1771), a German nobleman and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of Prussia under King Frederick the Great from 1744 to 1757.
In the literary realm, Friedrich Leopold zu Stolberg-Stolberg (1750-1819) was a German poet and writer who was part of the Göttingen Hain literary movement. He is known for his translations of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, as well as his own poetic works.
Matthias Claudius Stolberg (1694-1774) was a German Lutheran theologian and hymnist who wrote several influential hymns, including "Wir pflügen und wir streuen" (We Plow and We Sow).
Another notable figure was Christian von Stolberg-Stolberg (1748-1821), a German nobleman and writer who converted to Catholicism and became an influential figure in the Catholic revival movement in Germany.
While the Stolberg surname originated in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and intermarriage. However, its roots remain firmly grounded in the historical regions of Saxony-Anhalt and the Harz Mountains, where the name first emerged.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Stolberg
Among Census respondents with the surname Stolberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.0%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Stolberg bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Stolberg surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.6%
- Two or more races2.0%
- Hispanic or Latino1.9%
- Black or African American0.9%
- Unknown or suppressed0.6%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Stolberg surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #34,342 | #34,835 | -1.4% |
| Count | 624 | 648 | 3.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.23 | 0.22 | -4.3% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Stolberg bearers went from 624 to 648 (+3.8% change). The surname moved down 493 positions in the national ranking, going from #34,342 to #34,835.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Stolberg
FAQ
Stolberg surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Stolberg?
The surname Stolberg holds position #34,835 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 754 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.22 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Stolberg surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Stolberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.0%) and Hispanic (1.9%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.