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

Grill, 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 Grill surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Grill in America

Grill is the 9940th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Grill surname appeared 3,246 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 Grill.

We can also compare 2010 data for Grill 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 Grill

The surname Grill is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Middle High German word "gril," meaning "cricket" or "grasshopper." The name likely originated as a nickname for someone with a lively or energetic personality, reminiscent of a cricket's behavior.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Grill appears in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the Brandenburg region of Germany, dated around 1375. This document mentions a certain "Hermannus dictus Gril," indicating that the name was in use during that time period.

During the 15th century, the surname Grill started to appear in various historical records and documents across different regions of Germany. For example, in 1487, a man named Hans Grill was recorded as a resident of the town of Nuremberg, which was a prominent center of trade and commerce at the time.

As the name spread across Europe, it underwent minor spelling variations, such as Grell, Grell, and Gril. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and local pronunciation differences.

In the 16th century, the surname Grill gained further recognition with the birth of Johann Valentin Grill (1532-1591), a notable German jurist and legal scholar who served as a professor at the University of Tübingen.

Another prominent figure bearing the surname Grill was Johann Philipp Grill (1768-1829), a German composer and musician who was particularly known for his contributions to church music and sacred works.

Moving into the 19th century, the name Grill continued to be found in various German-speaking regions. One notable individual was Johann Anton Grill (1842-1909), a German Catholic priest and philosopher who wrote extensively on topics related to epistemology and metaphysics.

In the realm of literature, the surname Grill is associated with Philipp Lorenz Grill (1801-1879), a German writer and poet who gained recognition for his lyrical works and contributions to the German Romantic movement.

While the surname Grill has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through immigration and migration patterns. However, its origins and historical significance can be traced back to its German heritage and the various prominent individuals who have carried this name throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Grill

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

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

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

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