Dreyfuss
Of German origin, refers to someone who came from or lived near a thorn bush or thicket.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 720 Americans carry the last name Dreyfuss. That puts it at #36,900 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.21 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 476,048 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dreyfuss 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
720
1 in 476,048
Census rank
#36,900
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
605
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 605 bearers of the surname Dreyfuss in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.21 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 36900th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dreyfuss, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Two or More Races (1.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dreyfuss
The surname Dreyfuss is of German origin, originating in the late Middle Ages. It is derived from the German words "drei" meaning "three" and "fuss" meaning "foot," likely referring to someone with a distinctive gait or foot shape. The earliest known spelling of the name was "Dreyfuess," which was used in the 14th century in the region of Bavaria.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dreyfuss can be found in the Rostock city records of 1418, where a Johannes Dreyfuss is mentioned as a merchant. Another early reference is in the Nuremberg tax records of 1487, which lists a Hans Dreyfuss as a resident.
In the 16th century, the name appeared in various German regions, including the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where a family of Dreyfuss tanners and leatherworkers lived. One notable member of this family was Michael Dreyfuss (1528-1597), who was a respected master tanner and civic leader.
The name Dreyfuss also has a connection to the town of Wertheim in Baden-Württemberg, where a branch of the family settled in the 17th century. One of the earliest recorded members of this branch was Johann Philipp Dreyfuss (1642-1718), a prominent merchant and landowner.
In the 19th century, the name Dreyfuss became associated with the famous Dreyfus Affair in France, involving the wrongful conviction of Captain Alfred Dreyfus (1859-1935) for treason. Although spelled slightly differently, the names share a common German origin and pronunciation.
Other notable individuals with the surname Dreyfuss throughout history include:
1. Friedrich Dreyfuss (1844-1924), a German-Swiss watchmaker and industrialist who founded the Dreyfuss & Co. watch company.
2. Henry Dreyfuss (1904-1972), an American industrial designer known for designing iconic products like the Bell System telephone and the Hoover vacuum cleaner.
3. Richard Dreyfuss (born 1947), an American actor known for films like Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Mr. Holland's Opus.
4. Renée Dreyfus (1932-2014), a French classical pianist and composer.
5. Luise Dreyfuss (1881-1945), a German actress and theater director who co-founded the Dreyfuss Theater in Berlin.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dreyfuss
Among Census respondents with the surname Dreyfuss, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Two or More Races (1.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Dreyfuss 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 Dreyfuss surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.9%
- Hispanic or Latino2.3%
- Two or more races1.3%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8%
- Unknown or suppressed0.7%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Dreyfuss 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 | #37,986 | #36,900 | 2.9% |
| Count | 549 | 605 | 10.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.20 | 0.21 | 5.0% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Dreyfuss bearers went from 549 to 605 (+10.2% change). The surname moved up 1,086 positions in the national ranking, going from #37,986 to #36,900.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Dreyfuss
FAQ
Dreyfuss surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Dreyfuss?
The surname Dreyfuss holds position #36,900 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 720 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.21 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Dreyfuss surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dreyfuss, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Two or More Races (1.3%). 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.