2000
#42,830
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 476
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.18
Very Rare Last name
Steinbrink
An occupational surname derived from the German words for "stone" and "brink", possibly referring to one who worked with stone on a brink or bank.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 596 Americans carry the last name Steinbrink. That puts it at #44,477 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.17 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 575,091 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Steinbrink 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
596
1 in 575,091
Census rank
#44,477
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
520
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 520 bearers of the surname Steinbrink in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.17 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 44477th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Steinbrink, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Hispanic (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Steinbrink
The surname "STEINBRINK" is of German origin, originating in the medieval period around the 13th century. It is derived from the German words "Stein" meaning "stone" and "Brink" which refers to a grassy ledge or slope. The name likely originated in the southern regions of Germany, where such geographical features were common.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in a manuscript from the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, dated 1287, which mentions a "Heinrich Steinbrink" as a landowner. This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with someone who lived near or owned property on a stony slope or ledge.
In the 14th century, there are records of a "Johannes Steinbrink" who was a merchant in the city of Nuremberg. This indicates that the name had spread to urban areas and was not solely associated with rural landowners.
The Steinbrink name appears in various historical documents throughout the following centuries, including a mention of a "Hans Steinbrink" in the Weingarten Abbey records of the late 15th century. He was a vintner, suggesting a connection between the name and those involved in wine-making or viticulture.
One notable figure with the surname was Johann Steinbrink (1644-1718), a German philosopher and theologian who taught at the University of Leipzig. He published several works on logic and metaphysics, which were influential in academic circles of the time.
Another individual of historical significance was Karl Steinbrink (1801-1878), a German architect who designed many notable buildings in the city of Dresden, including the Semper Opera House and the Zwinger Palace.
In the 19th century, the name can be found in various regions of Germany, with a concentration in the states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. This suggests that the name may have originated in these areas before spreading more widely across the country.
Perhaps the most famous bearer of the Steinbrink surname was Friedrich Steinbrink (1892-1981), a German naval officer who served during both World Wars. He was a highly decorated U-boat commander in World War I and later played a role in the development of German naval strategy during World War II.
While these examples provide a glimpse into the historical significance and geographical spread of the Steinbrink name, it is important to note that records from earlier periods may still come to light, shedding further light on the origins and evolution of this German surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Steinbrink
Among Census respondents with the surname Steinbrink, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Hispanic (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Steinbrink 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 Steinbrink surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.8% · 472
- Two or more races4.2% · 22
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 17
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 4
- Black or African American0.6% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Steinbrink
Steinbrink 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
#43,811
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 492
+16 bearers (+3.4%)
Per 100,000 0.17
Rank movement Down 981 places
2020
#44,477
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 520
+28 bearers (+5.7%)
Per 100,000 0.17
Rank movement Down 666 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #42,830 | 476 | 0.18 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #43,811 | 492 | 0.17 | +16 bearers (+3.4%) | Down 981 places |
| 2020 | #44,477 | 520 | 0.17 | +28 bearers (+5.7%) | Down 666 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 Steinbrink 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 | #43,811 | #44,477 | -1.5% |
| Count | 492 | 520 | 5.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.17 | 0.17 | 2.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Steinbrink bearers went from 492 to 520 (+5.7% change). The surname moved down 666 positions in the national ranking, going from #43,811 to #44,477.
FAQ
Steinbrink surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Steinbrink?
Name Census estimates that about 596 living Americans carry the surname Steinbrink. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 575,091 residents.
How common is Steinbrink?
Steinbrink ranks #44,477 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.17 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 520 people with the surname Steinbrink. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (596), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.17 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.17 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 Steinbrink.
Has Steinbrink become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Steinbrink went from 492 recorded bearers to 520. That is an increase of 28 (+5.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #43,811 to #44,477.
What does the Census say about the background of Steinbrink?
Among Census respondents with the surname Steinbrink, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Hispanic (3.3%). 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 Steinbrink in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.8% (472 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Steinbrink appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.8%), Two or More Races (4.2%), Hispanic (3.3%). 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 Steinbrink (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 Steinbrink mean?
An occupational surname derived from the German words for "stone" and "brink", possibly referring to one who worked with stone on a brink or bank. 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 Steinbrink (0.17 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 Steinbrink?
Find out how many people have the last name Steinbrink on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.