2000
#9,467
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,151
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.17
Rare Last name
Utz
A German occupational surname referring to someone who lived near or worked with a well or spring.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,413 Americans carry the last name Utz. That puts it at #10,296 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.00 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 100,426 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Utz 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
3.4K
1 in 100,426
Census rank
#10,296
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,976 bearers of the surname Utz in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.00 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10296th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Utz, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.8%) and Hispanic (3.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Utz
The surname Utz originates from the German-speaking regions of central Europe, particularly in areas that are now part of Germany and Switzerland. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Utz can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Salemitanus, a collection of medieval documents from the Benedictine monastery of Salem in southern Germany. This manuscript, dating back to the early 13th century, mentions individuals with the surname Utz, suggesting its widespread use in the region at the time.
The name Utz is thought to be derived from the Old High German word "utz," which means "outside" or "exterior." This could indicate that the original bearers of the name resided or worked on the outskirts of a town or village. Alternatively, some historians propose that the name may have originated from a personal name or a nickname based on the individual's physical appearance or occupation.
In the 14th century, records from the town of Nuremberg, located in the German state of Bavaria, include references to various Utz families. One notable individual from this period was Johann Utz, a merchant and councilman who lived in Nuremberg during the late 1300s.
During the Renaissance period, the Utz surname gained further prominence. In the 16th century, Hans Utz, a renowned painter from Nuremberg, gained recognition for his religious and portrait works. His artistic contributions helped establish the Utz name in the cultural sphere of the time.
Moving into the 17th century, the Utz surname spread beyond the German-speaking regions. Jakob Utz, born in 1592 in Strasbourg (now part of France), was a prominent Jesuit scholar and theologian who authored several influential works on religious philosophy.
In the 18th century, the Utz name appeared in various parts of Europe, including Switzerland. Johann Jakob Utz, born in 1718 in Zürich, was a respected clockmaker and inventor, known for his innovative timepiece designs and contributions to the Swiss watchmaking industry.
As the centuries progressed, individuals with the surname Utz continued to make their mark in various fields. In the 19th century, Karl Utz, born in 1838 in Bavaria, was a notable German composer and music teacher who composed several operas and orchestral works.
Throughout its history, the surname Utz has maintained a strong presence in the German-speaking regions, although it has also spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. While the name's exact origins remain somewhat uncertain, its longevity and historical significance are undeniable.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Utz
Among Census respondents with the surname Utz, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.8%) and Hispanic (3.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Utz 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 Utz surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.4% · 2,691
- Two or more races4.8% · 142
- Hispanic or Latino3.2% · 94
- Black or African American0.8% · 23
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 20
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Utz
Utz 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
#10,536
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,044
-107 bearers (-3.4%)
Per 100,000 1.03
Rank movement Down 1,069 places
2020
#10,296
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,976
-68 bearers (-2.2%)
Per 100,000 1.00
Rank movement Up 240 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,467 | 3,151 | 1.17 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,536 | 3,044 | 1.03 | -107 bearers (-3.4%) | Down 1,069 places |
| 2020 | #10,296 | 2,976 | 1.00 | -68 bearers (-2.2%) | Up 240 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 Utz 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 | #10,536 | #10,296 | 2.3% |
| Count | 3,044 | 2,976 | -2.2% |
| Per 100K | 1.03 | 1.00 | -3.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Utz bearers went from 3,044 to 2,976 (-2.2% change). The surname moved up 240 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,536 to #10,296.
FAQ
Utz surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Utz?
Name Census estimates that about 3,413 living Americans carry the surname Utz. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 100,426 residents.
How common is Utz?
Utz ranks #10,296 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.00 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 2,976 people with the surname Utz. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,413), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.00 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 Utz.
Has Utz become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Utz went from 3,044 recorded bearers to 2,976. That is a decrease of 68 (-2.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,536 to #10,296.
What does the Census say about the background of Utz?
Among Census respondents with the surname Utz, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.8%) and Hispanic (3.2%). 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 Utz in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.4% (2,691 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Utz appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.4%), Two or More Races (4.8%), Hispanic (3.2%). 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 Utz (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 Utz mean?
A German occupational surname referring to someone who lived near or worked with a well or spring. 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 Utz (1.00 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 Utz?
You can see how many people have the surname Utz on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.