2000
#135,837
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Venetz
A surname derived from the Romansh word "vanet" meaning a mountain pass or valley.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Venetz. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Venetz 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Venetz in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Venetz, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Venetz
The surname Venetz is of Swiss origin, originating in the German-speaking regions of Switzerland in the early medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old High German word "fenitze," which referred to a type of meadow or pasture land. This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near or worked on such lands.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Venetz can be found in the archives of the Swiss canton of Valais, where a Petrus Venetz is mentioned in a document dated 1327. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the 14th century.
In the 15th century, the name appears in the records of the town of Brig, also in Valais. A Johannes Venetz is listed as a citizen of the town in 1436, indicating that the family had spread and established itself in various communities throughout the region.
One notable bearer of the name Venetz was Ignaz Venetz (1788-1859), a Swiss naturalist and glaciologist who is considered a pioneer in the study of glaciers and their movement. He made significant contributions to the understanding of glacial erosion and the formation of Alpine landscapes.
Another prominent figure with the surname Venetz was Johann Josef Venetz (1766-1845), a Swiss Catholic priest and author. He wrote several works on religious topics, including a book on the life of Saint Bernard of Menthon.
In the 19th century, the name Venetz can be found in various village and town records throughout the Swiss cantons of Valais and Vaud. For example, a Johann Venetz is listed as a resident of the village of Münster in Valais in 1837.
While the surname Venetz is most commonly associated with Switzerland, it has also spread to other parts of Europe and beyond through migration. However, its origins and historical roots can be traced back to the mountainous regions of Switzerland, where it likely originated as a descriptive name for those living or working in meadows or pastures.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Venetz
Among Census respondents with the surname Venetz, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Venetz 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 Venetz surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.5% · 105
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 5
- Two or more races4.2% · 5
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Venetz
Venetz 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
#142,108
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+3 bearers (+2.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,271 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+3 bearers (+2.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 59 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #135,837 | 114 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #142,108 | 117 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.6%) | Down 6,271 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.6%) | Up 59 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 Venetz 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 | #142,108 | #142,049 | 0.0% |
| Count | 117 | 120 | 2.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Venetz bearers went from 117 to 120 (+2.6% change). The surname moved up 59 positions in the national ranking, going from #142,108 to #142,049.
FAQ
Venetz surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Venetz?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Venetz. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Venetz?
Venetz ranks #142,049 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 120 people with the surname Venetz. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), 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 Venetz.
Has Venetz become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Venetz went from 117 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 3 (+2.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #142,108 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Venetz?
Among Census respondents with the surname Venetz, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (4.2%). 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 Venetz in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.5% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Venetz appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.5%), Hispanic (4.2%), Two or More Races (4.2%). 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 Venetz (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 Venetz mean?
A surname derived from the Romansh word "vanet" meaning a mountain pass or valley. 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 Venetz (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 share the surname Venetz?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.