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

Dross, 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 Dross surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dross in America

Dross is the 51281st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dross surname appeared 406 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Dross.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dross 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 Dross

The surname DROSS has its origins traced back to the Germanic regions of Europe, specifically in areas that are now part of modern-day Germany. The name is believed to have emerged in the Middle Ages, around the 11th or 12th century.

The name DROSS is thought to be derived from the Old German word "dros," which referred to the residue or impurities that were left behind after smelting or refining metals. This connection suggests that the name may have been originally associated with individuals who worked as metalworkers or in metalsmithing professions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name DROSS can be found in the Codex Traditionum Ecclesiae Ravennatensis, a medieval manuscript from the 11th century that documented land transactions and property rights in the region of Ravenna, Italy. In this document, a person named "Drossus" is mentioned as a witness to a legal agreement.

In the 13th century, the name DROSS appeared in various records and documents across different parts of Germany. For instance, a man named "Heinrich Dross" is documented as a citizen of the city of Cologne in the year 1278.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the surname DROSS. One example is Johann Dross, a German mathematician and astronomer who lived from 1625 to 1677. He is known for his contributions to the study of comets and for his work on improving the accuracy of astronomical calculations.

Another prominent figure was Wilhelm Dross, a German writer and philosopher who lived from 1833 to 1892. He wrote extensively on topics related to ethics, aesthetics, and the philosophy of history.

In the 19th century, a man named Friedrich Dross (1823-1897) achieved recognition as a renowned architect and urban planner in Germany. He was instrumental in the design and development of several notable buildings and public spaces in cities such as Berlin and Dresden.

Additionally, the name DROSS has been associated with various place names and geographical locations throughout Germany and other parts of Europe. For instance, there is a small village called Drossau in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, which likely derives its name from the surname DROSS.

Over the centuries, the surname DROSS has undergone some variations in spelling, including Dross, Drosse, and Droß. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained closely tied to its Germanic roots and the historical connections to metalworking and related trades.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dross

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

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 Dross 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 Dross 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 Dross was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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