2010
#145,220
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Swartzer
A surname derived from the German word "schwarz" meaning black, likely given as a nickname or descriptive identifier.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Swartzer. 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 Swartzer 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 Swartzer 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 Swartzer, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (4.2%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Swartzer
The surname Swartzer has its origins in Germany, and it dates back to the medieval period. The name is derived from the German word "schwarz," which means "black" or "dark." It is believed that the name was initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone with dark hair or a swarthy complexion.
In the 13th century, records show the name Swartzer appearing in various regions of Germany, such as Bavaria and Saxony. The earliest recorded instance of the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony, where it is spelled "Swarzer."
During the 16th century, the name Swartzer appeared in several historical records, including the Deutsches Namenlexikon, a comprehensive dictionary of German surnames. This work provides valuable insights into the geographical distribution and variations of the name across different regions.
One notable bearer of the Swartzer surname was Johann Swartzer, a German artist and engraver who lived from 1592 to 1644. His works, primarily religious engravings, are highly regarded and can be found in various museums and collections across Europe.
Another individual of historical significance with the surname Swartzer was Christoph Swartzer, a German theologian and philosopher who lived from 1628 to 1691. He was a prominent figure in the intellectual circles of his time and authored several influential works on theology and metaphysics.
In the 18th century, the Swartzer surname appeared in various German-speaking regions, including Austria and Switzerland. One notable figure from this period was Johann Georg Swartzer, a Swiss mathematician and astronomer who lived from 1718 to 1799. He made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics and was a member of the prestigious Berlin Academy of Sciences.
Another prominent bearer of the Swartzer surname was Friedrich Swartzer, a German composer and musician who lived from 1745 to 1818. He is renowned for his contributions to the development of classical music and his works were highly regarded during his time.
The name Swartzer has also been associated with various place names in Germany, such as Swartzerdorf and Swartzenhausen, which likely derive from individuals bearing the surname who lived in or founded these settlements.
While the Swartzer surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, through immigration. However, its earliest and most significant historical associations remain firmly rooted in the German-speaking regions of Europe.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Swartzer
Among Census respondents with the surname Swartzer, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (4.2%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Swartzer 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 Swartzer surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.4% · 109
- Asian and Pacific Islander4.2% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Swartzer
Swartzer appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+4 bearers (+3.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,709 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #145,220 | 114 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.5%) | Up 1,709 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 Swartzer 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 | #145,220 | #143,511 | 1.2% |
| Count | 114 | 118 | 3.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Swartzer bearers went from 114 to 118 (+3.5% change). The surname moved up 1,709 positions in the national ranking, going from #145,220 to #143,511.
FAQ
Swartzer surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Swartzer?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Swartzer. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Swartzer?
Swartzer 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 Swartzer. 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 Swartzer.
Has Swartzer become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Swartzer went from 114 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 4 (+3.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #145,220 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Swartzer?
Among Census respondents with the surname Swartzer, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (4.2%) and Hispanic (2.5%). 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 Swartzer in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.4% (109 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Swartzer appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (4.2%), Hispanic (2.5%). 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 Swartzer (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 Swartzer mean?
A surname derived from the German word "schwarz" meaning black, likely given as a nickname or descriptive identifier. 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 Swartzer (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 surname Swartzer?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.