2000
#12,705
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,232
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.83
Rare Last name
Strohm
A German toponymic surname referring to someone who lived near a stream or river.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,506 Americans carry the last name Strohm. That puts it at #13,343 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.73 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 136,773 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Strohm 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
2.5K
1 in 136,773
Census rank
#13,343
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,185 bearers of the surname Strohm in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.73 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13343rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Strohm, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Strohm
The surname Strohm is of German origin, with its roots traced back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Middle High German word "stro," meaning "straw," suggesting that the original bearers of this name might have been involved in occupations related to straw or hay, such as farmers or thatchers.
In the 14th century, the name was found in various regions of Germany, including Bavaria and Saxony, where it appeared in medieval records and documents. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony, dating back to the 13th century.
The name Strohm has undergone several variations in spelling over the centuries, including Strom, Strohme, and Strohmer. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and scribal errors in transcribing the name.
One notable figure in history who bore the surname Strohm was Hans Strohm, a German painter and engraver born in Nuremberg in the late 15th century. His works, primarily religious scenes and portraits, were highly regarded during the Renaissance period.
In the 17th century, the name Strohm was found in the regions of Württemberg and Baden-Württemberg, where it appeared in parish records and local chronicles. Johann Strohm, born in 1635 in Bietigheim, was a prominent figure in the local community, serving as a magistrate and landowner.
The 18th century saw the migration of some Strohm families to other parts of Europe and even to the Americas. One such example is Johann Heinrich Strohm, born in 1723 in Hesse, Germany, who later emigrated to Pennsylvania in the United States, where he established a successful farming business.
In the 19th century, the Strohm surname was found in various regions of Germany, as well as in neighboring countries like Austria and Switzerland. Johann Strohm, born in 1812 in Bavaria, was a renowned architect who designed several churches and public buildings in his home region.
Throughout history, the surname Strohm has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, including farmers, artisans, scholars, and entrepreneurs. While the name may have originated from humble beginnings, its bearers have contributed to the rich tapestry of German culture and history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Strohm
Among Census respondents with the surname Strohm, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Strohm 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 Strohm surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.4% · 2,020
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 77
- Two or more races2.3% · 50
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 22
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 15
- Black or African American0.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Strohm
Strohm 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
#13,486
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,253
+21 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.76
Rank movement Down 781 places
2020
#13,343
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,185
-68 bearers (-3.0%)
Per 100,000 0.73
Rank movement Up 143 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,705 | 2,232 | 0.83 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,486 | 2,253 | 0.76 | +21 bearers (+0.9%) | Down 781 places |
| 2020 | #13,343 | 2,185 | 0.73 | -68 bearers (-3.0%) | Up 143 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 Strohm 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 | #13,486 | #13,343 | 1.1% |
| Count | 2,253 | 2,185 | -3.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.76 | 0.73 | -3.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Strohm bearers went from 2,253 to 2,185 (-3.0% change). The surname moved up 143 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,486 to #13,343.
FAQ
Strohm surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Strohm?
Name Census estimates that about 2,506 living Americans carry the surname Strohm. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 136,773 residents.
How common is Strohm?
Strohm ranks #13,343 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.73 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,185 people with the surname Strohm. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,506), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.73 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.73 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Strohm.
Has Strohm become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Strohm went from 2,253 recorded bearers to 2,185. That is a decrease of 68 (-3.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #13,486 to #13,343.
What does the Census say about the background of Strohm?
Among Census respondents with the surname Strohm, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (2.3%). 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 Strohm in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.4% (2,020 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Strohm appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.4%), Hispanic (3.5%), Two or More Races (2.3%). 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 Strohm (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 Strohm mean?
A German toponymic surname referring to someone who lived near a stream or river. 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 Strohm (0.73 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 common is the surname Strohm?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Strohm is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.