2000
#149,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Witzenburg
A surname potentially derived from a German place name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Witzenburg. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Witzenburg 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
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Witzenburg in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Witzenburg, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Witzenburg
The surname Witzenburg traces its origins to Germany, specifically from the medieval period. The name is believed to be toponymic, derived from the name of a place. The name Witzenburg likely originates from a compound of the German words "witzo," which could mean “white” or “wise,” and "burg," which means “castle” or “fortress.” This suggests that Witzenburg may have referred to a “white fortress” or a “wise fortress.”
The area most associated with the surname Witzenburg is Bavaria, a region in southern Germany known for its castles and fortifications. Similar spellings of the name include Witzenberg and Witzenberge, which may have been used interchangeably in historical records. The name appears in medieval manuscripts and land records, some dating back to the 13th century, showing the establishment of various families with the name intertwined with significant historical events.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Witzenburg is found in a 1293 Bavarian land deed, where a Heinrich von Witzenburg is mentioned. This document provides a glimpse into the established nobility and land ownership during that time. Another notable early reference is a 14th-century parish register from the city of Nuremberg, listing a family under the name Witzenberg, indicating variations in spelling.
Another significant figure in the history of the Witzenburg surname is Johan Witzenburg, born in 1486, who was known for his military exploits during the Bavarian War of Succession. Records from the 16th century indicate that the Witzenburg family held important positions within local governments, showing the name's prominence in the region.
In the 17th century, Anna Maria Witzenburg, born in 1624, gained attention due to her marriage into a prominent merchant family in Augsburg. Her roles in various civic activities were well-documented in town records, highlighting the family’s continued influence.
By the 18th century, the name had spread beyond Bavaria. A notable missionary, Friedrich Witzenburg, born in 1742 and later working in the British colonies in North America, contributed to the spread of the name overseas. His letters and correspondences during the American Revolution documented his efforts to establish religious congregations.
In the 19th century, the surname appears frequently in immigration records, as many Witzenburg families emigrated to the United States. One such family included Ludwig Witzenburg, born in 1809, who became a successful farmer in Pennsylvania. His descendants continued to use the surname, adapting to their new homeland.
Throughout history, the surname Witzenburg has shown variations in spelling and usage but remains a testament to the geographic and social movements of families and individuals across centuries. The name still carries echoes of its Bavarian origins and the legacy of those who bore it in various regions and periods.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Witzenburg
Among Census respondents with the surname Witzenburg, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Witzenburg 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 Witzenburg surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.8% · 110
- Two or more races3.4% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Witzenburg
Witzenburg 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
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
+6 bearers (+5.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,300 places
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+9 bearers (+8.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 7,600 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #149,328 | 101 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.9%) | Down 3,300 places |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.4%) | Up 7,600 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 Witzenburg 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 | #152,628 | #145,028 | 5.0% |
| Count | 107 | 116 | 8.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Witzenburg bearers went from 107 to 116 (+8.4% change). The surname moved up 7,600 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #145,028.
FAQ
Witzenburg surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Witzenburg?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Witzenburg. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Witzenburg?
Witzenburg ranks #145,028 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 116 people with the surname Witzenburg. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), 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 Witzenburg.
Has Witzenburg become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Witzenburg went from 107 recorded bearers to 116. That is an increase of 9 (+8.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #152,628 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Witzenburg?
Among Census respondents with the surname Witzenburg, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%). 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 Witzenburg in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.8% (110 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Witzenburg appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.8%), Two or More Races (3.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%). 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 Witzenburg (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 Witzenburg mean?
A surname potentially derived from a German place name. 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 Witzenburg (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 are called Witzenburg?
See how many people are called Witzenburg on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.