Explore the Family Name Pankratz
The meaning of Pankratz
German: from the personal name Pankratz, from Latin Pancratius, Greek Pankratios, a name derived from the term pankratēs ‘all-in wrestler’, from pan ‘all, every’ + kratein ‘to conquer, subdue’. This Greek name was re-analysed by early Christians as meaning ‘Almighty’ and thus a suitable epithet of Christ. The name was borne by a 4th-century Christian martyr, hence its popularity as a personal name in the Middle Ages. Saint Pancras is one of the Ice Saints (see also Boniface and Servatius), so called in Central European folklore because their feast days fall on the days of May 12, May 13, and May 14, a time when in Central Europe there was often a brief spell of cold weather, bringing the last frost before summer.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Pankratz in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Pankratz has seen some shifts in popularity between 2000 and 2010. The ranking of this surname moved from 12,305 in 2000 to 12,435 in 2010, reflecting a slight decrease in popularity (a change of -1.06%). However, the actual count of people with the surname Pankratz increased by 7.81% over the same period, rising from 2,317 to 2,498. The proportion of individuals with this surname per 100,000 people also saw a minor decrease, going from 0.86 to 0.85.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #12,305 | #12,435 | -1.06% |
| Count | 2,317 | 2,498 | 7.81% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.86 | 0.85 | -1.16% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Pankratz
When looking at the ethnic identity associated with the surname Pankratz, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals interesting trends. While the majority of Pankratz's identify as White (94.72% in 2010, down from 97.15% in 2000), there have been significant increases in other ethnicities. Those identifying as having two or more races have more than doubled, growing by 104.88%, and those identifying as Hispanic have almost doubled, growing by 103.57%. The proportion of Pankratz's who identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native have also increased, though these groups remain a small fraction of the total.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.15% | 94.72% | -2.5% |
| Hispanic | 1.12% | 2.28% | 103.57% |
| Two or More Races | 0.82% | 1.68% | 104.88% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.26% | 0.56% | 115.38% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.43% | 0.52% | 20.93% |
| Black | 0.22% | 0.24% | 9.09% |