2000
#62,775
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 298
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.11
Very Rare Last name
Silberg
A habitational surname derived from a place name, likely of German or Scandinavian origin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 297 Americans carry the last name Silberg. That puts it at #79,345 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,154,055 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Silberg 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
297
1 in 1,154,055
Census rank
#79,345
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
259
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 259 bearers of the surname Silberg in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 79345th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Silberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (1.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Silberg
The surname Silberg is of Swedish origin, with its roots traced back to the 14th century. It is believed to have originated from the Swedish word "silber," which translates to "silver" in English. This suggests a possible connection to the occupation of a silversmith or a person involved in the silver trade.
The earliest known mention of the Silberg name can be found in historical documents from the city of Göteborg, Sweden, dating back to the late 1600s. These records indicate that a family by the name of Silberg was residing in the area during that time period.
In the 18th century, the Silberg name appeared in the parish records of Skara, a city located in the western region of Sweden. This suggests that the family had established itself in various parts of the country over time.
One notable figure bearing the Silberg surname was Hans Silberg, a Swedish merchant and trader who lived between 1720 and 1789. He was known for his extensive business ventures, particularly in the import and export of goods across the Baltic Sea region.
Another prominent individual was Anna Silberg (1801-1875), a Swedish author and poet who gained recognition for her romantic novels and poetic works in the mid-19th century.
In the early 20th century, the Silberg name can be found in historical records from the city of Stockholm, where a family by that name resided. One member, Erik Silberg (1892-1967), was a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in the Swedish capital.
The name Silberg also appears in historical documents from Norway, indicating a possible migration of individuals bearing this surname from Sweden to neighboring regions.
One such example is Johan Silberg (1832-1911), a Norwegian businessman and industrialist who played a significant role in the development of the country's timber industry.
It is worth noting that variations of the Silberg name existed throughout history, such as Silbergh and Silbärg, which can be traced back to different regions and time periods in Scandinavia.
While the Silberg surname is not among the most common in Sweden or Norway today, its roots can be traced back several centuries, with a rich history spanning various occupations and contributions to society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Silberg
Among Census respondents with the surname Silberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (1.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Silberg 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 Silberg surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.6% · 245
- Two or more races2.7% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino1.5% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 2
- Black or African American0.4% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Silberg
Silberg 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
#85,659
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 218
-80 bearers (-26.8%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Down 22,884 places
2020
#79,345
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 259
+41 bearers (+18.8%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Up 6,314 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #62,775 | 298 | 0.11 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #85,659 | 218 | 0.07 | -80 bearers (-26.8%) | Down 22,884 places |
| 2020 | #79,345 | 259 | 0.09 | +41 bearers (+18.8%) | Up 6,314 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 Silberg 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 | #85,659 | #79,345 | 7.4% |
| Count | 218 | 259 | 18.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.07 | 0.09 | 23.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Silberg bearers went from 218 to 259 (+18.8% change). The surname moved up 6,314 positions in the national ranking, going from #85,659 to #79,345.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Silberg
FAQ
Silberg surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Silberg?
Name Census estimates that about 297 living Americans carry the surname Silberg. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,154,055 residents.
How common is Silberg?
Silberg ranks #79,345 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.09 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 259 people with the surname Silberg. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (297), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.09 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.09 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 Silberg.
Has Silberg become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Silberg went from 218 recorded bearers to 259. That is an increase of 41 (+18.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #85,659 to #79,345.
What does the Census say about the background of Silberg?
Among Census respondents with the surname Silberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (1.5%). 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 Silberg in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.6% (245 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Silberg appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.6%), Two or More Races (2.7%), Hispanic (1.5%). 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 Silberg (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 Silberg mean?
A habitational surname derived from a place name, likely of German or Scandinavian origin. 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 Silberg (0.09 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 Americans have the surname Silberg?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.