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

Gresh, 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 Gresh surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gresh in America

Gresh is the 22081st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gresh surname appeared 1,173 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 Gresh.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gresh 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 Gresh

The surname GRESH has its origins in the Middle Ages, deriving from a place name in the Rhineland region of Germany. It is believed to have stemmed from the Old German word "grasi," meaning "grassy." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a grassy area or meadow.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the GRESH surname can be found in a 13th-century document from the town of Cologne, where a person named Johann Gresh was listed as a landowner. This provides evidence that the name had already become established in the region by that time.

During the 15th century, the GRESH name appeared in various records across the German states, indicating its spread throughout the region. One notable figure was Hans Gresh, a merchant from Nuremberg who was recorded in the city's archives around 1470.

As German settlers began to migrate to other parts of Europe and eventually to the Americas, the GRESH surname traveled with them. In the 16th century, records show a family by the name of Gresh residing in the Netherlands, possibly having fled religious persecution in Germany.

One of the most prominent individuals bearing the GRESH surname was Wilhelm Gresh, a German philosopher and scholar who lived from 1623 to 1689. His writings on ethics and metaphysics were widely influential during the Enlightenment period.

Another notable figure was Katherina Gresh, a German-born immigrant to the American colonies in the late 17th century. She settled in Pennsylvania and is believed to have been one of the earliest bearers of the GRESH name in what would become the United States.

In the 19th century, a man named Johann Gresh made significant contributions to the field of agriculture in his native Bavaria. His innovative farming techniques and writings on crop cultivation earned him recognition throughout the region.

While the GRESH surname has endured for centuries, its origins can be traced back to the grassy meadows of medieval Germany, where it first emerged as a place name before becoming a widespread family name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gresh

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

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

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

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