2000
#147,095
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bielss
An occupational surname derived from Middle Low German meaning "maker of bolts".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Bielss. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bielss 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
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Bielss in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bielss, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Two or More Races (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bielss
The surname BIELSS is believed to have originated in Germany, with roots dating back to the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the German word "biele," which translates to "slope" or "hillside," suggesting that the name's bearers may have hailed from a hilly or mountainous region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the BIELSS name can be found in the town records of Augsburg, Germany, from the late 1500s. These records mention a family by the name of BIELSS residing in the area at that time. Additionally, variations of the spelling, such as "Biels" and "Bieltz," have been documented in various historical documents from the same period.
In the 17th century, the BIELSS name appeared in the records of the Holy Roman Empire, particularly in the region of Bavaria. This suggests that the name may have been more prevalent in Southern Germany during that era. One notable individual from this time was Johann BIELSS, a merchant and landowner born in 1642 in the town of Bamberg.
As the centuries passed, the BIELSS name spread to other parts of Europe, with records indicating its presence in countries such as Austria, Switzerland, and even parts of Eastern Europe. One noteworthy figure was Karl BIELSS, a renowned architect from Vienna, Austria, who lived from 1785 to 1859 and was responsible for designing several iconic buildings in the city.
In the 19th century, the BIELSS surname found its way to the United States and other parts of the New World, likely carried by immigrants seeking new opportunities. One such individual was Wilhelm BIELSS, born in 1822 in Stuttgart, Germany, who immigrated to Texas in the late 1840s and became a successful rancher and landowner.
Another notable figure was Anna BIELSS, a celebrated opera singer from Berlin, Germany, who lived from 1865 to 1935 and performed in some of the most prestigious venues across Europe during her prime.
While the BIELSS name may not be as widespread as some other surnames, it has left an indelible mark on history, with its bearers contributing to various fields, from architecture and the arts to commerce and agriculture, across multiple continents and centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bielss
Among Census respondents with the surname Bielss, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Two or More Races (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Bielss 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 Bielss surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.2% · 102
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 3
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bielss
Bielss 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
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
+3 bearers (+2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,674 places
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,430 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #147,095 | 103 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.9%) | Down 6,674 places |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Up 1,430 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 Bielss 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 | #153,769 | #152,339 | 0.9% |
| Count | 106 | 106 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bielss bearers went from 106 to 106 (+0.0% change). The surname moved up 1,430 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #152,339.
FAQ
Bielss surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bielss?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Bielss. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Bielss?
Bielss ranks #152,339 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 106 people with the surname Bielss. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Bielss.
Has Bielss become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bielss went from 106 recorded bearers to 106. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Bielss?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bielss, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Two or More Races (0.9%). 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 Bielss in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.2% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bielss appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.2%), Hispanic (2.8%), Two or More Races (0.9%). 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 Bielss (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 Bielss mean?
An occupational surname derived from Middle Low German meaning "maker of bolts". 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 Bielss (0.04 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 have the surname Bielss?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.