Explore the Family Name Hertzler
The meaning of Hertzler
1. Swiss German: altered form of Hürzeler, of unexplained etymology. The surname Hertzler is no longer found in Switzerland, while the name Hürzeler is found mainly in the cantons of Aargau and Solothurn. Compare Hartzler. 2. South German: occupational name for a collector of resin (used for making pitch), from Middle High German harz ‘resin’ + agent suffix -ler. Alternatively, of Swiss German origin (see 1 above). History: This is the name of a Swiss Mennonite (Amish) family, originating from the hamlet of Hinterweil in the canton of Aargau (formerly in the canton of Bern), where it was spelled Hürzeler and from where it spread to the Palatinate (Germany) and France, and finally also to North America, where it is most commonly spelled Hartzler. In 1749 Jacob Hertzler, born 1703 in Switzerland, landed in Philadelphia, PA, and later settled in Berks County, PA. Eventually he became the first Amish Mennonite minister and bishop in the US. There were also several other Mennonite immigrants with this name who settled in PA later in the 18th century.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Hertzler in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Hertzler has seen a significant increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. The rank of the surname moved from 17799 in 2000 to 15719 in 2010, reflecting an 11.69% uptick. The count of individuals bearing this surname also rose by an impressive 27.93%, from 1450 in 2000 to 1855 in 2010. Additionally, the proportion of individuals with the surname Hertzler per 100,000 people increased from 0.54 in 2000 to 0.63 in 2010, a growth of 16.67%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #17,799 | #15,719 | 11.69% |
| Count | 1,450 | 1,855 | 27.93% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.54 | 0.63 | 16.67% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Hertzler
In terms of ethnicity, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data, a majority of those with the Hertzler surname identified as White in both 2000 and 2010, though there was a slight decrease of 0.87% over this time period. The percentage identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander saw an increase of 31.71%, moving from 0.41 in 2000 to 0.54 in 2010. Those identifying with two or more ethnicities also had a modest increase of 13.33%. The most notable change occurred within the Hispanic group, which saw a substantial rise of 67.78%. There was no recorded change for those identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.24% | 96.39% | -0.87% |
| Hispanic | 0.9% | 1.51% | 67.78% |
| Two or More Races | 0.9% | 1.02% | 13.33% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.41% | 0.54% | 31.71% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |