Find out how popular the last name Drees is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Drees.

Drees, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Drees surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Drees in America

Drees is the 14274th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Drees surname appeared 2,098 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Drees.

We can also compare 2010 data for Drees to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Drees

The surname Drees is of German origin, and it is believed to have originated in the northern regions of Germany during the medieval period. The name is derived from the Low German word "dressen," which means "to thresh" or "to separate grain from the chaff." It is likely that the earliest bearers of this surname were individuals who worked as threshers or were involved in the agricultural industry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Drees can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from the region of Saxony, dating back to the 13th century. This suggests that the name was already established in the area during that time.

In the 15th century, a notable figure named Hans Drees was mentioned in the chronicles of the city of Hamburg. He was a respected merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the city's trade and commerce.

During the 16th century, the name Drees appeared in various records across northern Germany, including church registers and tax rolls. One such record from the town of Lübeck in 1568 mentions a family by the name of Drees who owned a prosperous farm and mill.

In the 17th century, a prominent individual named Johann Drees (1620-1688) was a Lutheran theologian and author who wrote several influential works on religious philosophy and biblical interpretation.

Another notable bearer of the Drees surname was Wilhelm Drees (1886-1988), a German-born Dutch politician who served as the Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1948 to 1958. He played a crucial role in the country's post-war reconstruction and economic recovery.

In the 18th century, the name Drees was found in various regions of Germany, including Saxony, Westphalia, and Lower Saxony. One record from the town of Hannover in 1734 mentions a family named Drees who owned a successful bakery business.

Over time, the name Drees has also been associated with certain place names in Germany, such as the village of Drees in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. This further solidifies the connection between the surname and its geographical origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Drees

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Drees.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Drees was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Drees has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Drees was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Drees, please contact us.

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