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

Greb, 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 Greb surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Greb in America

Greb is the 22131st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Greb surname appeared 1,168 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 Greb.

We can also compare 2010 data for Greb 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 Greb

The surname GREB is believed to have originated in the region of Germany, specifically in the area around the town of Grebenstein in the state of Hesse. The name is thought to have derived from the Old German word "greba," which means "gorge" or "ravine," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name may have lived near or worked in such a geographical feature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the GREB name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of medieval documents from the region of Saxony, where a certain "Henricus Grebin" is mentioned in a record dated 1292. This suggests that variations of the name, such as "Grebin," were in use as early as the 13th century.

In the 15th century, a notable figure named Johannes GREB (1420-1491) was a prominent theologian and rector at the University of Leipzig. His works on scholastic philosophy and theology were influential during the Renaissance period.

During the 16th century, the GREB name appears in various municipal records and church registers across central Germany, indicating its spread throughout the region. One notable individual from this time was Hans GREB (1547-1611), a master stonemason who was involved in the construction of several important buildings in the city of Nuremberg.

In the 17th century, a family of GREBs from the town of Grebenstein gained prominence as wealthy landowners and merchants. Johann Friedrich GREB (1622-1701) was a successful businessman and philanthropist who donated funds to establish a school and a hospital in his hometown.

As the GREB name spread throughout Germany and beyond, it also underwent various spelling variations, such as "Gräb," "Graeb," and "Grebe." One notable figure with a similar spelling was Wilhelm Grebe (1786-1846), a German composer and violinist who was a contemporary of Ludwig van Beethoven.

While the GREB surname is not as common as some other German names, it has left its mark on history through individuals who made significant contributions in various fields, from academia and theology to architecture and commerce.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Greb

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

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

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

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