2010
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Ursenbach
A surname of Swiss origin derived from the name of a location, likely a mountain stream.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Ursenbach. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ursenbach 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
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Ursenbach in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ursenbach, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.8%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ursenbach
The surname Ursenbach originates from the German-speaking region of Switzerland, dating back to the late 15th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old High German words "urso" (bear) and "bach" (stream), suggesting a connection to a place where bears frequented a particular stream or river.
One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in the village of Ursenbach, located in the Swiss canton of Bern. This village's name is mentioned in historical records as early as 1490, and it is likely that the surname Ursenbach emerged from this location.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Ursenbach family played a significant role in the local governance and cultural life of the region. Notable individuals from this period include Johann Ursenbach (1532-1599), a respected magistrate and landowner, and Anna Ursenbach (1572-1648), who is renowned for her contributions to the preservation of traditional Swiss folk songs and dances.
In the 18th century, the Ursenbach family expanded its influence beyond Switzerland. Johannes Ursenbach (1712-1781), a skilled watchmaker, emigrated to France and established a successful business in Paris, where his timepieces were highly sought after by the aristocracy.
As the 19th century dawned, the Ursenbach name gained prominence in the field of academia. Karl Ursenbach (1821-1896), a renowned linguist and scholar, authored several influential works on the history and evolution of the German language.
Another notable figure from this era was Emilie Ursenbach (1856-1932), a pioneering Swiss painter and illustrator whose works captured the beauty of the Alpine landscapes and the traditional way of life in rural Switzerland.
Throughout the 20th century, the Ursenbach surname continued to be associated with various fields, including politics, science, and the arts. Notable individuals include Hans Ursenbach (1901-1987), a respected politician and diplomat who served as the Swiss ambassador to several countries, and Erich Ursenbach (1925-2001), a renowned physicist whose research on quantum mechanics garnered international recognition.
While the name Ursenbach may have evolved over time, its roots remain firmly grounded in the Swiss Alps, where it originated as a locational surname centuries ago.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ursenbach
Among Census respondents with the surname Ursenbach, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.8%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Ursenbach 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 Ursenbach surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.4% · 89
- Hispanic or Latino6.8% · 7
- Two or more races3.9% · 4
- Black or African American2.9% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ursenbach
Ursenbach 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
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-12 bearers (-10.4%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 10,041 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | -12 bearers (-10.4%) | Down 10,041 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 Ursenbach 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 | #144,141 | #154,182 | -7.0% |
| Count | 115 | 103 | -10.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ursenbach bearers went from 115 to 103 (-10.4% change). The surname moved down 10,041 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #154,182.
FAQ
Ursenbach surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ursenbach?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Ursenbach. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Ursenbach?
Ursenbach ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 103 people with the surname Ursenbach. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Ursenbach.
Has Ursenbach become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ursenbach went from 115 recorded bearers to 103. That is a decrease of 12 (-10.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Ursenbach?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ursenbach, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.8%) and Two or More Races (3.9%). 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 Ursenbach in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.4% (89 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ursenbach appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.4%), Hispanic (6.8%), Two or More Races (3.9%). 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 Ursenbach (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 Ursenbach mean?
A surname of Swiss origin derived from the name of a location, likely a mountain stream. 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 Ursenbach (0.03 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 Ursenbach?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Ursenbach on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.