2000
#133,114
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Vehslage
A habitational surname likely referring to someone from a place named Vehslage.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Vehslage. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Vehslage 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Vehslage in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Vehslage, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Vehslage
The surname Vehslage originates from northern Germany, particularly the region of Lower Saxony, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old Saxon word "fehu," meaning cattle or livestock, and the word "slage," which refers to a clearing or meadow. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who worked as herdsmen or owned cattle farms in the rural areas of Lower Saxony.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Vehslage can be found in the Bremisches Urkundenbuch, a collection of historical documents from the former Archbishopric of Bremen, dated around 1280. The name appears as "Vegheslage" in this document, indicating a slight variation in spelling from the modern form.
In the 14th century, the name Vehslage was also documented in the Lüneburg Lease Records, a compilation of land leases and property transactions in the region of Lüneburg, Lower Saxony. This suggests that individuals bearing this surname may have been involved in agricultural activities or landholdings during that period.
Noteworthy individuals with the surname Vehslage throughout history include Johann Vehslage (1560-1628), a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Lübeck, who played a significant role in the economic and political affairs of the Hanseatic League. Another notable figure was Katharina Vehslage (1678-1742), a respected midwife and healer in the town of Celle, whose contributions to maternal healthcare were recognized in local chronicles.
In the 18th century, Friedrich Vehslage (1735-1801) gained recognition as a skilled clockmaker and watchmaker in the city of Hamburg. His intricate timepieces were highly sought after by affluent patrons throughout northern Germany.
During the 19th century, the Vehslage surname appeared in various records from the region of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, such as the Mecklenburgisches Urkundenbuch. This suggests that the name had spread to other areas of northern Germany over time.
One notable figure from this period was Hermann Vehslage (1820-1892), a scholar and educator who served as the headmaster of the prestigious Gymnasium in Rostock. He was recognized for his contributions to the advancement of education and his advocacy for educational reforms.
While the surname Vehslage is not as common as some other German surnames, it has a rich history rooted in the rural landscapes of Lower Saxony and the surrounding regions. The name's origins can be traced back to the 13th century, reflecting the occupations and lifestyles of its earliest bearers.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Vehslage
Among Census respondents with the surname Vehslage, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Vehslage 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 Vehslage surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.2% · 104
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Vehslage
Vehslage 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
#136,449
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
+6 bearers (+5.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,335 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-16 bearers (-13.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,190 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #133,114 | 117 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #136,449 | 123 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.1%) | Down 3,335 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -16 bearers (-13.0%) | Down 15,190 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 Vehslage 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 | #136,449 | #151,639 | -11.1% |
| Count | 123 | 107 | -13.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Vehslage bearers went from 123 to 107 (-13.0% change). The surname moved down 15,190 positions in the national ranking, going from #136,449 to #151,639.
FAQ
Vehslage surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Vehslage?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Vehslage. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Vehslage?
Vehslage ranks #151,639 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 107 people with the surname Vehslage. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), 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 Vehslage.
Has Vehslage become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Vehslage went from 123 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 16 (-13.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #136,449 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Vehslage?
Among Census respondents with the surname Vehslage, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%). 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 Vehslage in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.2% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Vehslage appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.2%), Hispanic (2.8%). 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 Vehslage (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 Vehslage mean?
A habitational surname likely referring to someone from a place named Vehslage. 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 Vehslage (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 common is the surname Vehslage?
Find out how many people have the last name Vehslage on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.