German New Zealanders (German: Deutsch-Neuseeländer) are New Zealand residents of ethnic German ancestry. The German community constitute one of the largest European ethnic groups in New Zealand, numbering 12,810 in the 2013 census.
The 2013 census counted 12,810 New Zealand residents who had ancestry from Germany. This number does not include people of German ancestry who selected their ancestry as simply "New Zealander". Today the number of New Zealanders with German ancestry is estimated to be approximately 200,000 (5% of the population). Many German New Zealanders anglicized their names during the 20th century due to the negative perception of Germans fostered by World War I and World War II.
In 2013, the German language was spoken at home by 36,642 persons in New Zealand. German is the ninth most widely spoken language in the country after English, Māori, Samoan, Hindi, Mandarin Chinese, French, Cantonese, and Chinese (not further defined).
New Zealand has long been a popular destination for German backpacker tourists and students.
German New Zealand culture
The Goethe-Institut is active in New Zealand and there is a branch in Wellington.
Notable German New Zealanders
Michala Banas (born 1978), actress and singerMorton W. Coutts (1904–2004), inventorRussell Crowe (born 1964), actorChristian Cullen (born 1976), rugby union footballerKim Dotcom (born 1974), internet entrepreneur, businessman, musician, and political party founderMinnie Maria Dronke (1904–1987) actor, drama producer and teacherThomas Eichelbaum (born 1931), 11th Chief Justice of New ZealandWilli Fels (1858–1946), merchant, collector and philanthropistCarl Frank Fischer (year of birth unknown – 1893), doctor, homoeopath and viticulturistKarl Fritsch (born 1963) contemporary jewellerRichard Fuchs (1887–1947), composer and architectRudolf Gopas (1913–1983) artist and art teacherAwen Guttenbeil (born 1976), rugby league footballerJulius von Haast (1822–1887), geologist and founder of Canterbury MuseumBendix Hallenstein (1835–1905) merchant, statesman, manufacturer, member of the New Zealand ParliamentLewis Hotop (c. 1844–1922), pharmacist, politician and Arbor Day advocateGerhard Husheer (1864–1954), tobacco grower and processor, industrialist, philanthropistHoward Kippenberger (1897–1957), major generalCharles Kelling (1818–1898), emigration agent, farmer and community leaderFedor Kelling (1820–1909), member of the New Zealand Parliament; brother of Charles KellingJosh Kronfeld (born 1971), TV presenter and rugby union footballerDavid Lange (1942–2005), 32nd Prime Minister of New ZealandOscar Natzka (1912–1951), operatic singerArnold Nordmeyer (1901–1989), member of the New Zealand ParliamentWilliam Ott (1872–1951), mayorVictoria Schmidt, actressKarl Urban (born 1972), actorJohan Wohlers (1811–1885), Lutheran missionary