2000
#150,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Girres
A French surname referring to someone who lived near a river or ford.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Girres. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Girres 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Girres in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Girres, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Girres
The surname GIRRES is believed to have originated in the region of Northern France, specifically in the area around the city of Lille. Its earliest recorded spelling dates back to the 11th century, where it appeared in various forms such as "Gires," "Gyres," and "Gieres." The name is thought to derive from the Old French word "gire," meaning "a bend or turn," possibly referring to a geographical feature or a place name associated with the surname's earliest bearers.
One of the earliest documented references to the name GIRRES can be found in the Domesday Book, a manuscript compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Gires" and is listed among the landowners in the county of Northamptonshire, England. This suggests that individuals bearing this surname may have accompanied the Norman invaders during the conquest of England in 1066.
During the 13th century, the name GIRRES began to appear in various records across Northern France and the Low Countries. In 1247, a certain Jehan Gires is mentioned in a legal document from the city of Arras, while in 1289, a Guillaume Gieres is recorded as a resident of the town of Douai.
One of the earliest prominent individuals to bear the surname GIRRES was Pierre Gires, a French knight who fought in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 during the Hundred Years' War. His name is inscribed on the famous list of French nobility present at the battle, which can be found in the archives of the city of Rouen.
In the 16th century, the GIRRES surname gained prominence in the Netherlands, particularly in the city of Utrecht. Notable individuals from this period include Jan Girres (1512-1587), a respected lawyer and member of the city council, and his son, Adriaan Girres (1545-1612), a renowned scholar and theologian who served as rector of the University of Utrecht.
Another significant figure bearing the GIRRES surname was Jacques Girres (1663-1732), a French painter and engraver who was born in Lille. He is best known for his portraits and religious works, many of which can still be found in churches and museums throughout Northern France.
Throughout the centuries, the GIRRES surname has undergone various spelling variations, such as "Girres," "Gires," "Gieres," and "Gyres," reflecting the linguistic and cultural influences of the regions where its bearers resided. While the name may have originated in Northern France, it has since spread across Europe and beyond, carried by individuals and families who have contributed to the rich tapestry of human history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Girres
Among Census respondents with the surname Girres, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Girres 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 Girres surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White98.3% · 117
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Girres
Girres 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
#148,347
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+11 bearers (+11.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,089 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+8 bearers (+7.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,559 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #150,436 | 100 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #148,347 | 111 | 0.04 | +11 bearers (+11.0%) | Up 2,089 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+7.2%) | Up 5,559 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 Girres 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 | #148,347 | #142,788 | 3.7% |
| Count | 111 | 119 | 7.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Girres bearers went from 111 to 119 (+7.2% change). The surname moved up 5,559 positions in the national ranking, going from #148,347 to #142,788.
FAQ
Girres surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Girres?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Girres. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Girres?
Girres ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Girres. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Girres.
Has Girres become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Girres went from 111 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 8 (+7.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #148,347 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Girres?
Among Census respondents with the surname Girres, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%). 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 Girres in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.3% (117 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Girres appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (98.3%), Hispanic (0.8%), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%). 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 Girres (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 Girres mean?
A French surname referring to someone who lived near a river or ford. 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 Girres (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 Girres?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.