2000
#14,370
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,910
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.71
Rare Last name
Gratz
A surname derived from the German city of Graz.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,078 Americans carry the last name Gratz. That puts it at #15,541 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.61 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 164,944 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gratz 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
2.1K
1 in 164,944
Census rank
#15,541
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,812 bearers of the surname Gratz in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.61 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15541st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gratz, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.4%) and Two or More Races (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gratz
The surname Gratz is of German origin, derived from the town of Gratz or Graz in southern Austria. It likely emerged as a locational surname, indicating that the bearer hailed from this particular town or region.
The name Gratz is believed to stem from the Slovene word "gradec," meaning "small castle" or "fortified town." This linguistic root reflects the town's historical significance as a fortified settlement dating back to the Roman era.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Gratz can be found in the Annales Gradicenses, a medieval chronicle documenting the events in the town of Graz from the 12th to the 16th centuries. This suggests that the name was already in use by the 12th century.
In the 14th century, a notable figure named Konrad Gratz was mentioned in the records of the Styrian nobility. He was a landowner and knight who played a role in the political affairs of the region during that time.
During the 16th century, a prominent individual named Jakob Gratz (1498-1567) gained recognition as a scholar and humanist. He was born in Graz and later became a professor at the University of Vienna, contributing significantly to the intellectual discourse of his era.
Another notable bearer of the surname was Johann Gratz (1643-1698), a Baroque architect and sculptor. He was responsible for designing and constructing several churches and buildings in Graz and the surrounding areas, leaving a lasting impact on the city's architectural landscape.
In the 18th century, Michael Gratz (1740-1811) was a prominent merchant and philanthropist in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Born in Germany, he immigrated to the United States and established himself as a successful businessman, actively contributing to the development of the young nation.
Furthermore, the name Gratz has been associated with various placenames, such as Gratz Park in Lexington, Kentucky, and Graz Street in New Orleans, Louisiana, both named after individuals bearing the surname.
Overall, the surname Gratz has a rich historical lineage, deeply rooted in the German-speaking regions of Europe, particularly the town of Graz in Austria. Its connection to this fortified town and the presence of notable bearers throughout history have contributed to the surname's enduring legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gratz
Among Census respondents with the surname Gratz, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.4%) and Two or More Races (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Gratz 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 Gratz surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.9% · 1,683
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 43
- Two or more races2.3% · 42
- Black or African American1.2% · 22
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 20
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gratz
Gratz 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
#20,364
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,305
-605 bearers (-31.7%)
Per 100,000 0.44
Rank movement Down 5,994 places
2020
#15,541
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,812
+507 bearers (+38.9%)
Per 100,000 0.61
Rank movement Up 4,823 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #14,370 | 1,910 | 0.71 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #20,364 | 1,305 | 0.44 | -605 bearers (-31.7%) | Down 5,994 places |
| 2020 | #15,541 | 1,812 | 0.61 | +507 bearers (+38.9%) | Up 4,823 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 Gratz 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 | #20,364 | #15,541 | 23.7% |
| Count | 1,305 | 1,812 | 38.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.44 | 0.61 | 37.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gratz bearers went from 1,305 to 1,812 (+38.9% change). The surname moved up 4,823 positions in the national ranking, going from #20,364 to #15,541.
FAQ
Gratz surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gratz?
Name Census estimates that about 2,078 living Americans carry the surname Gratz. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 164,944 residents.
How common is Gratz?
Gratz ranks #15,541 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.61 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,812 people with the surname Gratz. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,078), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.61 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.61 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Gratz.
Has Gratz become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gratz went from 1,305 recorded bearers to 1,812. That is an increase of 507 (+38.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #20,364 to #15,541.
What does the Census say about the background of Gratz?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gratz, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.4%) and Two or More Races (2.3%). 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 Gratz in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.9% (1,683 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gratz appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.9%), Hispanic (2.4%), Two or More Races (2.3%). 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 Gratz (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 Gratz mean?
A surname derived from the German city of Graz. 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 Gratz (0.61 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 Gratz?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.