2000
#7,460
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,115
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.53
Rare Last name
Sweitzer
A toponymic surname derived from the German name for Switzerland, indicating an ancestor who originated from that region.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,714 Americans carry the last name Sweitzer. That puts it at #7,749 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.38 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 72,710 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sweitzer 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
4.7K
1 in 72,710
Census rank
#7,749
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,111 bearers of the surname Sweitzer in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.38 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7749th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sweitzer, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.2%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sweitzer
The surname "Sweitzer" originated in Switzerland, deriving from the German word "Schweizer," meaning "Swiss." This surname emerged during the Middle Ages, a period when it became common practice to adopt hereditary surnames derived from one's place of origin, occupation, or physical characteristics.
The name first appeared in various forms, such as "Schweitzer," "Schweizer," and "Schwytzer," reflecting the regional dialects and spelling variations of the time. These variations often corresponded to specific areas within Switzerland, with the name being particularly prevalent in regions like Zürich and Bern.
Historically, the surname "Sweitzer" can be traced back to the 13th century, as evidenced by its appearance in various medieval records and chronicles. One notable example is the mention of a certain "Heinricus Sweitzer" in the Annals of the City of Zürich, dated 1287.
Among the earliest recorded individuals bearing this surname was Johannes Sweitzer (c. 1390-1457), a Swiss theologian and professor at the University of Basel. Another notable figure was Ulrich Sweitzer (1487-1538), a Swiss Protestant Reformer and one of the co-founders of the Anabaptist movement.
In the 16th century, the name gained prominence with the birth of Salomon Sweitzer (1552-1624), a renowned Swiss cartographer and engraver responsible for creating some of the most detailed and accurate maps of his time.
During the 17th century, the name "Sweitzer" appeared in various genealogical records and parish registers across Switzerland, indicating its widespread use among Swiss families.
One notable individual from this period was Johann Sweitzer (1624-1690), a Swiss physician and botanist who made significant contributions to the study of plant life and authored several influential works on the subject.
In the 18th century, the name gained international recognition with the birth of Johann Caspar Sweitzer (1742-1824), a Swiss-born soldier and military engineer who served in the American Revolutionary War and played a crucial role in the defense of West Point.
As the centuries progressed, the surname "Sweitzer" continued to be associated with notable figures, such as the 19th-century Swiss theologian and philosopher Alexander Sweitzer (1808-1888) and the 20th-century Swiss architect and urban planner Max Sweitzer (1892-1962).
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sweitzer
Among Census respondents with the surname Sweitzer, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.2%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Sweitzer 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 Sweitzer surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.1% · 3,826
- Two or more races3.2% · 132
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 104
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 32
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 12
- Black or African American0.1% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sweitzer
Sweitzer 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
#7,909
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,183
+68 bearers (+1.7%)
Per 100,000 1.42
Rank movement Down 449 places
2020
#7,749
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,111
-72 bearers (-1.7%)
Per 100,000 1.38
Rank movement Up 160 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,460 | 4,115 | 1.53 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,909 | 4,183 | 1.42 | +68 bearers (+1.7%) | Down 449 places |
| 2020 | #7,749 | 4,111 | 1.38 | -72 bearers (-1.7%) | Up 160 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 Sweitzer 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 | #7,909 | #7,749 | 2.0% |
| Count | 4,183 | 4,111 | -1.7% |
| Per 100K | 1.42 | 1.38 | -3.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sweitzer bearers went from 4,183 to 4,111 (-1.7% change). The surname moved up 160 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,909 to #7,749.
FAQ
Sweitzer surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sweitzer?
Name Census estimates that about 4,714 living Americans carry the surname Sweitzer. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 72,710 residents.
How common is Sweitzer?
Sweitzer ranks #7,749 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.38 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 4,111 people with the surname Sweitzer. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,714), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.38 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.38 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 Sweitzer.
Has Sweitzer become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sweitzer went from 4,183 recorded bearers to 4,111. That is a decrease of 72 (-1.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,909 to #7,749.
What does the Census say about the background of Sweitzer?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sweitzer, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.2%) 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 Sweitzer in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.1% (3,826 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sweitzer appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.1%), Two or More Races (3.2%), 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 Sweitzer (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 Sweitzer mean?
A toponymic surname derived from the German name for Switzerland, indicating an ancestor who originated from that region. 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 Sweitzer (1.38 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 Sweitzer?
See how many people have the last name Sweitzer on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.