2000
#118,236
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 136
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Throener
A surname of Germanic origin possibly related to the German word "thron" meaning throne or throne-maker.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 195 Americans carry the last name Throener. That puts it at #110,517 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,757,715 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Throener 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
195
1 in 1,757,715
Census rank
#110,517
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
170
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 170 bearers of the surname Throener in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 110517th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Throener, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Throener
The surname Throener is of German origin, with its roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the region of Thuringia, a central German state known for its picturesque landscapes and medieval towns.
The name Throener is likely derived from the Old High German word "thruner," which referred to a person who lived near a hill or a raised land formation. This connection suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname may have resided in hilly or mountainous areas of Thuringia.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Throener can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents dating back to the 12th century. This manuscript mentions a certain "Henricus Throener" who lived in the town of Eisenach, located in present-day Thuringia.
During the 14th century, the name Throener appeared in various regional records and chronicles, often associated with notable figures from the region. For example, in 1367, a "Johannes Throener" was mentioned as a respected merchant and landowner in the town of Erfurt, which was a prominent center of trade and learning at the time.
Throughout the medieval and early modern periods, the Throener name was also linked to several influential families and individuals. One notable figure was Christoph Throener (1492-1568), a renowned scholar and theologian who served as a professor at the University of Wittenberg and was a close associate of Martin Luther during the Protestant Reformation.
Another prominent bearer of the name was Hans Throener (1556-1623), a skilled architect and builder who was responsible for the construction of several churches and public buildings in the cities of Weimar and Jena, both located in Thuringia.
In the 18th century, the Throener family established themselves as successful merchants and entrepreneurs in the city of Leipzig, which was a major center of trade and commerce in that era. One member of the family, Johann Throener (1712-1788), was a respected merchant and civic leader who served as a member of the city council and was known for his philanthropic endeavors.
As the Throener name spread beyond Thuringia, it also became associated with various place names and geographic features in other parts of Germany. For instance, the village of Throenerberg in the state of Hesse is believed to have derived its name from the surname, suggesting that members of the Throener family may have settled in that area at some point in history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Throener
Among Census respondents with the surname Throener, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Throener 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 Throener surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White98.8% · 168
- Hispanic or Latino0.6% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Throener
Throener 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
#111,988
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 157
+21 bearers (+15.4%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 6,248 places
2020
#110,517
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 170
+13 bearers (+8.3%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 1,471 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #118,236 | 136 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #111,988 | 157 | 0.05 | +21 bearers (+15.4%) | Up 6,248 places |
| 2020 | #110,517 | 170 | 0.06 | +13 bearers (+8.3%) | Up 1,471 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 Throener 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 | #111,988 | #110,517 | 1.3% |
| Count | 157 | 170 | 8.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.06 | 13.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Throener bearers went from 157 to 170 (+8.3% change). The surname moved up 1,471 positions in the national ranking, going from #111,988 to #110,517.
FAQ
Throener surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Throener?
Name Census estimates that about 195 living Americans carry the surname Throener. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,757,715 residents.
How common is Throener?
Throener ranks #110,517 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.06 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 170 people with the surname Throener. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (195), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.06 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 Throener.
Has Throener become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Throener went from 157 recorded bearers to 170. That is an increase of 13 (+8.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #111,988 to #110,517.
What does the Census say about the background of Throener?
Among Census respondents with the surname Throener, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.6%). 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 Throener in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.8% (168 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Throener appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (98.8%), Hispanic (0.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.6%). 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 Throener (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 Throener mean?
A surname of Germanic origin possibly related to the German word "thron" meaning throne or throne-maker. 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 Throener (0.06 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 Throener?
See how many people are called Throener on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.