Explore the Family Name Bamberg

The meaning of Bamberg

German and Jewish (western Ashkenazic): habitational name from the city of Bamberg in Bavaria (formerly in Upper Franconia). History: Between 1007 and 1702 the city of Bamberg was the capital of a powerful ecclesiastical state, and in the 15th century the bishops of Bamberg were raised to princely rank.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Bamberg in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Bamberg saw a slight decrease in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it ranked 22,481 out of all surnames in the United States, but by 2010 it had dropped to rank 23,817, a decrease of about 5.94%. The total number of people carrying the Bamberg surname also decreased during this period, dropping from 1,068 in 2000 to 1,061 in 2010, a marginal decrease of 0.66%. The proportion of the population with this surname per 100,000 people also declined by 10% over the decade.

20002010Change
Rank#22,481#23,817-5.94%
Count1,0681,061-0.66%
Proportion per 100k0.40.36-10%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bamberg

The ethnicity distribution of those with the Bamberg surname has shown some changes between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In both years, no people carrying the Bamberg surname identified themselves as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native. The majority of Bambergs identified as White, making up 74.63% in 2000 and 72.2% in 2010, indicating a small decline of 3.26%. Those identifying as Black increased their share from 21.54% to 24.22%, a rise of 12.44%. The proportion of Bambergs who identified as Hispanic grew from 0.84% to 1.32%, an increase of 57.14%. Meanwhile, the percentage of those identifying with two or more ethnicities decreased significantly from 2.53% in 2000 to 1.7% in 2010, marking a 32.81% drop.

20002010Change
White74.63%72.2%-3.26%
Black21.54%24.22%12.44%
Two or More Races2.53%1.7%-32.81%
Hispanic0.84%1.32%57.14%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%