2000
#6,574
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,753
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.76
Rare Last name
Stultz
Derived from the German place name Stülz, likely referring to someone who originated from that location.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,156 Americans carry the last name Stultz. That puts it at #7,167 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.50 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 66,477 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Stultz 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
5.2K
1 in 66,477
Census rank
#7,167
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,496 bearers of the surname Stultz in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.50 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7167th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Stultz, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.5%. The next largest groups are Black (4.6%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Stultz
The surname Stultz is of German origin, derived from the Old German word "stolz," meaning "proud" or "haughty." It is believed to have originated in the region of Bavaria, where it first appeared as a descriptive surname referring to someone who exhibited a proud or arrogant demeanor.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the medieval town records of Augsburg, Germany, where a certain Hans Stultz is mentioned as a resident in the year 1412. This suggests that the name had already been established by the early 15th century.
In the 16th century, the name appears in various German-language documents, including church records and tax registers. For instance, a Johannes Stultz is listed as a landowner in the village of Oberammergau in 1542.
The name also spread to other parts of Europe, particularly Switzerland and Austria, where it took on slightly different spellings, such as Stulz and Stültz. In Switzerland, the name is associated with the town of Stülzegg, which may have contributed to its popularity in that region.
One notable bearer of the name was Johann Stultz (1541-1607), a German theologian and Protestant reformer who played a significant role in the religious conflicts of the 16th century. He was a prominent figure in the city of Nuremberg and authored several influential works on theology and church governance.
Another historical figure with the surname Stultz was Johann Christoph Stultz (1720-1781), a German composer and organist who served at the court of Prince-Bishop of Bamberg and Würzburg. His compositions, primarily sacred works and organ pieces, were widely performed and admired during his lifetime.
In the 19th century, the name spread further with German immigration to the United States and other countries. One notable American with the surname was John Stultz (1824-1897), a Union Army officer who fought in the American Civil War and later served as a judge in Ohio.
Another prominent individual was Friedrich Stultz (1856-1923), a German architect who designed several notable buildings in Berlin, including the Reichsbank and the Anhalter Bahnhof railway station.
Overall, the surname Stultz has a long and rich history, with roots dating back to medieval Germany and a presence in various parts of Europe and beyond. While its earliest origins stem from a descriptive meaning related to pride or haughtiness, the name has been borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Stultz
Among Census respondents with the surname Stultz, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.5%. The next largest groups are Black (4.6%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Stultz 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 Stultz surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.5% · 3,889
- Black or African American4.6% · 206
- Two or more races4.0% · 181
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 158
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 34
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 28
Timeline
Historical Census data for Stultz
Stultz 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
#7,010
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,778
+25 bearers (+0.5%)
Per 100,000 1.62
Rank movement Down 436 places
2020
#7,167
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,496
-282 bearers (-5.9%)
Per 100,000 1.50
Rank movement Down 157 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,574 | 4,753 | 1.76 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,010 | 4,778 | 1.62 | +25 bearers (+0.5%) | Down 436 places |
| 2020 | #7,167 | 4,496 | 1.50 | -282 bearers (-5.9%) | Down 157 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 Stultz 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 | #7,010 | #7,167 | -2.2% |
| Count | 4,778 | 4,496 | -5.9% |
| Per 100K | 1.62 | 1.50 | -7.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Stultz bearers went from 4,778 to 4,496 (-5.9% change). The surname moved down 157 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,010 to #7,167.
FAQ
Stultz surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Stultz?
Name Census estimates that about 5,156 living Americans carry the surname Stultz. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 66,477 residents.
How common is Stultz?
Stultz ranks #7,167 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.50 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,496 people with the surname Stultz. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,156), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.5 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.50 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Stultz.
Has Stultz become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Stultz went from 4,778 recorded bearers to 4,496. That is a decrease of 282 (-5.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,010 to #7,167.
What does the Census say about the background of Stultz?
Among Census respondents with the surname Stultz, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.5%. The next largest groups are Black (4.6%) and Two or More Races (4.0%). 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 Stultz in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.5% (3,889 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Stultz appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.5%), Black (4.6%), Two or More Races (4.0%). 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 Stultz (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 Stultz mean?
Derived from the German place name Stülz, likely referring to someone who originated from that location. 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 Stultz (1.50 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 share the surname Stultz?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.