Bress
A surname derived from a geographic location or town name.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 411 Americans carry the last name Bress. That puts it at #58,876 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.12 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 833,952 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bress surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
411
1 in 833,952
Census rank
#58,876
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
344
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 344 bearers of the surname Bress in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.12 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 58876th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bress, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.7%. The next largest groups are Black (12.5%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bress
The surname BRESS originated in Germany, with roots tracing back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "bresse," meaning "a break or gap," possibly referring to a person living near a forest clearing or a gap in a hedge or fence.
In its early days, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Bress, Bresse, Bressen, and Bressler, reflecting regional variations and variations in pronunciation. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Würzburg City Records of 1295, where a certain Heinz Bress is mentioned.
The BRESS surname gained prominence in the 16th century, with several notable figures bearing the name. One such individual was Johann Bress (1522-1597), a German Protestant theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation movement in Saxony.
Another notable bearer of the BRESS name was Hans Bress (1554-1638), a German painter and engraver who was famous for his religious and allegorical works. His paintings adorned many churches and monasteries in southern Germany during the Renaissance period.
In the 17th century, the name BRESS appeared in several historical records, including the Pforzheim Town Registry of 1623, which listed a family named Bress among the residents of the town. Around this time, the name also gained a foothold in Switzerland, with the Bress family being documented in the Canton of Bern.
As the centuries passed, the BRESS name continued to spread across Europe, with notable individuals emerging in various fields. One such figure was Friedrich Bress (1789-1867), a German philosopher and educator who wrote extensively on the importance of early childhood education and the development of moral character.
Another prominent bearer of the BRESS name was Karl Bress (1857-1929), a German architect and urban planner who designed several notable buildings and public spaces in Berlin and other German cities during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Throughout its history, the BRESS surname has been associated with various occupations, from theologians and artists to educators and architects, reflecting the diverse contributions of those who bore this name to their respective societies and fields of endeavor.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bress
Among Census respondents with the surname Bress, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.7%. The next largest groups are Black (12.5%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Bress bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Bress surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.7%
- Black or African American12.5%
- Hispanic or Latino2.3%
- Two or more races2.3%
- Unknown or suppressed1.2%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Bress surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #49,471 | #58,876 | -19.0% |
| Count | 399 | 344 | -13.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.15 | 0.12 | -20.0% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Bress bearers went from 399 to 344 (-13.8% change). The surname moved down 9,405 positions in the national ranking, going from #49,471 to #58,876.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Bress
FAQ
Bress surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Bress?
The surname Bress holds position #58,876 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 411 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.12 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Bress surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bress, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.7%. The next largest groups are Black (12.5%) and Hispanic (2.3%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.