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

Greiss, 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 Greiss surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Greiss in America

Greiss is the 56073rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Greiss surname appeared 365 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 Greiss.

We can also compare 2010 data for Greiss 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 Greiss

The surname GREISS is of German origin, with its roots traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the region of Bavaria, where it was derived from the Old High German word "graz," meaning "grass" or "vegetation."

One of the earliest recorded references to the name GREISS can be found in the Bavarian town records of the 14th century. It is believed that the name was initially associated with individuals who lived in grassy areas or worked as farmers or herdsmen.

In the 15th century, the name GREISS appeared in various legal documents and land records throughout southern Germany. During this period, the surname underwent several variations in spelling, including Gras, Gräss, and Gress.

A notable figure bearing the surname GREISS was Johann Greiss (1628-1684), a German painter and engraver known for his religious works and portraits. His artwork can be found in several churches and museums throughout Bavaria and neighboring regions.

Another individual of historical significance was Heinrich Greiss (1789-1868), a German mathematician and physicist. He made significant contributions to the study of electromagnetism and is credited with developing the concept of "Greiss's Law" in electrical circuit theory.

In the 19th century, the surname GREISS gained recognition through the works of Peter Greiss (1836-1912), a German chemist who made groundbreaking discoveries in the field of organic chemistry. His research on diazo compounds and the development of the Greiss reaction, a chemical test for the detection of nitrite ions, earned him widespread acclaim.

The name GREISS also appeared in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, likely brought over by German immigrants. One notable American bearing this surname was Joseph Greiss (1870-1949), a prominent architect who designed several landmark buildings in New York City, including the Bronx County Courthouse and the Crotona Park Apartments.

Another individual of note was Wilhelm Greiss (1892-1976), a German-born American artist and illustrator. He was known for his vibrant landscape paintings and illustrations, which captured the beauty of the American West and the rural landscapes of his native Germany.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Greiss

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

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

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

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