2000
#112,967
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 144
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Stoughtenger
A surname possibly derived from a place name or occupation related to fighting or war.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Stoughtenger. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Stoughtenger 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Stoughtenger in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Stoughtenger, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.7%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Stoughtenger
The surname Stoughtenger has its origins in the Germanic region of central Europe, with records dating back to the early medieval period. The name is believed to have derived from the Old High German words "stouht," meaning "brave" or "valiant," and "genger," referring to a traveler or wanderer. This suggests that the name may have originally been bestowed upon a courageous adventurer or explorer.
One of the earliest known references to the Stoughtenger name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of medieval documents from the 9th century. Here, a certain Stouhtgenger is mentioned as a landowner in the region now known as modern-day Bavaria. This record provides valuable insight into the antiquity of the surname and its geographical roots.
In the 11th century, a knight named Stoughtenger von Rheinfelden is recorded as having participated in the Crusades, leading a contingent of soldiers to the Holy Land. His bravery and leadership during these military campaigns likely contributed to the reputation associated with the Stoughtenger name.
As the name spread across Europe, various spellings emerged, including Stouchtinger, Stouftinger, and Stouftengher. These variations can be found in various historical documents, such as church records and land registries, from regions spanning modern-day Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
One notable figure bearing the Stoughtenger name was Johann Stoughtenger, a respected scholar and theologian born in Nuremberg in 1472. He authored several influential works on religious philosophy and was a prominent figure in the intellectual circles of his time.
During the 16th century, a branch of the Stoughtenger family established itself in the town of Staufen, located in the southwestern region of present-day Germany. Here, they became prominent landowners and merchants, with records indicating their involvement in local governance and trade.
Another individual of note was Katharina Stoughtenger, a renowned herbalist and healer who lived in the late 17th century. Her knowledge of medicinal plants and natural remedies earned her widespread recognition, and she is mentioned in several historical accounts from the region around the Black Forest.
In the 18th century, a Stoughtenger family settled in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where they established a successful brewing business. The Stoughtenger Brewery remained a prominent local establishment until its closure in the early 20th century.
Throughout its history, the Stoughtenger surname has been associated with various place names and geographic locations, reflecting the migration patterns and settlements of its bearers. These include places like Stouchtingen, Stouftingerdorf, and Stouftingerbach, among others, which can be found in historical records and maps from different regions of central Europe.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Stoughtenger
Among Census respondents with the surname Stoughtenger, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.7%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Stoughtenger 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 Stoughtenger surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.6% · 114
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Stoughtenger
Stoughtenger 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
-18 bearers (-12.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 20,896 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-8 bearers (-6.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,648 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #112,967 | 144 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,863 | 126 | 0.04 | -18 bearers (-12.5%) | Down 20,896 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-6.3%) | Down 9,648 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 Stoughtenger 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 | #143,511 | -7.2% |
| Count | 126 | 118 | -6.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Stoughtenger bearers went from 126 to 118 (-6.3% change). The surname moved down 9,648 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,863 to #143,511.
FAQ
Stoughtenger surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Stoughtenger?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Stoughtenger. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Stoughtenger?
Stoughtenger ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Stoughtenger. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Stoughtenger.
Has Stoughtenger become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Stoughtenger went from 126 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 8 (-6.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,863 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Stoughtenger?
Among Census respondents with the surname Stoughtenger, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.7%) and Hispanic (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 Stoughtenger in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.6% (114 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Stoughtenger appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.6%), Two or More Races (1.7%), Hispanic (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 Stoughtenger (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 Stoughtenger mean?
A surname possibly derived from a place name or occupation related to fighting or war. 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 Stoughtenger (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 last name Stoughtenger?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans have the surname Stoughtenger at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.