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

Grassi, 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 Grassi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Grassi in America

Grassi is the 11907th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Grassi surname appeared 2,629 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 Grassi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Grassi 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 Grassi

The surname Grassi is of Italian origin, derived from the Italian word "grasso" meaning "fat" or "stout." It likely originated as a nickname for a person of larger stature or build.

The earliest known record of the name Grassi dates back to the late 13th century in the region of Tuscany, Italy. Documents from this time period show the name spelled as "Grassus" or "Grassi."

In the 14th century, the Grassi family gained prominence in the city of Florence, where they were involved in various trades and professions. A notable member was Desiderio Grassi (1324-1398), a renowned painter and artist from Florence.

During the Renaissance period, the Grassi name appeared in several important manuscripts and records. One example is the Codice Rustici, a 15th-century collection of drawings and writings from Florence, which mentions a certain Giovanni Grassi, a merchant and patron of the arts.

The name Grassi has also been associated with several place names in Italy, such as Grassina, a town near Florence, and Grassano, a town in the province of Matera.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Grassi, including:

1. Orazio Grassi (1583-1654), an Italian Jesuit priest, mathematician, and astronomer known for his work in optics and his contributions to the scientific revolution.
2. Giovanni Battista Grassi (1775-1834), an Italian architect and urban planner who designed several notable buildings in Milan.
3. Faustino Grassi (1836-1902), an Italian pianist and composer known for his virtuosic piano works and his teaching at the Milan Conservatory.
4. Eugenia Grassi (1876-1958), an Italian operatic soprano who performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York and other major opera houses.
5. Goffredo Grassi (1905-1994), an Italian film director and screenwriter who worked during the Golden Age of Italian cinema.

The surname Grassi has remained prevalent in Italy, particularly in regions like Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, and Lombardy, where it has a long-standing presence and historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Grassi

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

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

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

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