2010
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Grampus
A surname derived from the Middle English word "grampus," referring to a cetacean such as a dolphin or small whale.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 119 Americans carry the last name Grampus. That puts it at #153,590 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,880,289 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Grampus 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
119
1 in 2,880,289
Census rank
#153,590
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
104
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 104 bearers of the surname Grampus in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 153590th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Grampus, the largest self-reported group is Black at 88.5%. The next largest groups are White (3.8%) and Hispanic (3.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Grampus
The surname "GRAMPUS" is believed to have originated in England, likely during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "grampian," which referred to a crested sea monster or a type of whale.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Grampus," possibly referring to someone who lived near the coast or had a profession related to seafaring.
During the 13th century, the name "Grampus" was documented in various legal records and charters, particularly in coastal regions of England. It was sometimes spelled as "Grampian" or "Grampian," reflecting its Old English roots.
In the late 15th century, a notable figure bearing the name "Grampus" was Sir John Grampus (1450-1521), a merchant and ship owner from Bristol. He was known for his successful trading ventures with the Iberian Peninsula and the Mediterranean region.
Another prominent individual with this surname was Richard Grampus (1612-1680), a renowned cartographer and navigator who served as the Royal Hydrographer to King Charles II. His detailed maps and charts of the British coastline and the Atlantic Ocean were widely used by mariners of the time.
In the 18th century, the Grampus family established a presence in the American colonies. One member, William Grampus (1725-1801), was a farmer and landowner in Virginia. He played an active role in the American Revolutionary War, serving as a militia captain.
During the 19th century, the name "Grampus" was found in various historical records, including parish registers and census documents. Notable individuals from this period include Emily Grampus (1840-1912), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights in London.
Throughout its history, the surname "Grampus" has been associated with coastal communities, seafaring traditions, and maritime professions. Its origins can be traced back to the Old English language, reflecting the significance of the sea and its creatures in the lives of those who bore this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Grampus
Among Census respondents with the surname Grampus, the largest self-reported group is Black at 88.5%. The next largest groups are White (3.8%) and Hispanic (3.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Grampus 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 Grampus surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American88.5% · 92
- White3.8% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 4
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Grampus
Grampus appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#153,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-1 bearers (-1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 1,317 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #153,590 | 104 | 0.03 | -1 bearers (-1.0%) | Up 1,317 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 Grampus 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 | #154,907 | #153,590 | 0.9% |
| Count | 105 | 104 | -1.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Grampus bearers went from 105 to 104 (-1.0% change). The surname moved up 1,317 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #153,590.
FAQ
Grampus surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Grampus?
Name Census estimates that about 119 living Americans carry the surname Grampus. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,880,289 residents.
How common is Grampus?
Grampus ranks #153,590 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 104 people with the surname Grampus. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (119), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Grampus.
Has Grampus become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Grampus went from 105 recorded bearers to 104. That is a decrease of 1 (-1.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #153,590.
What does the Census say about the background of Grampus?
Among Census respondents with the surname Grampus, the largest self-reported group is Black at 88.5%. The next largest groups are White (3.8%) and Hispanic (3.8%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Grampus in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.5% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Grampus appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (88.5%), White (3.8%), Hispanic (3.8%). 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 Grampus (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 Grampus mean?
A surname derived from the Middle English word "grampus," referring to a cetacean such as a dolphin or small whale. 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 Grampus (0.03 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 common is the surname Grampus?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Grampus on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.