Groce last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Groce

Derived from the Old French word "gros," meaning "large" or "big," likely referring to a person's physical stature.

Groce, 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 Groce surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Groce in America

Groce is the 6362nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Groce surname appeared 5,351 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Groce.

We can also compare 2010 data for Groce 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 6362 6210 2.42%
Count 5,351 5,074 5.31%
Proportion per 100k 1.81 1.88 -3.79%

The history of the last name Groce

The surname GROCE is believed to have originated in England, tracing its roots back to the 12th century. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "groc," which referred to a small hill or a grove of trees. This suggests that the name may have initially been a topographic name, given to individuals who lived near a notable hill or wooded area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the GROCE surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1195, where a person named Richard le Groce is mentioned. This entry provides evidence of the name's existence and usage during the medieval period in England.

In the 13th century, there are records of a family bearing the name GROCE residing in the county of Worcestershire. A notable figure from this family was Sir John GROCE, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War against France in the mid-14th century.

The GROCE surname also appears in various medieval manuscripts and records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which lists several individuals with the name, including William GROCE and Thomas GROCE.

During the 16th century, the GROCE family had established themselves as landowners in the village of Groce's Green, located in the county of Buckinghamshire. This place name is believed to have derived from the surname itself, suggesting the family's long-standing presence and influence in the area.

One prominent figure from this period was Sir Edward GROCE (1505-1572), who served as a Member of Parliament and was appointed as a judge during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the GROCE surname continued to be well-represented in various parts of England. Notable individuals include Sir Thomas GROCE (1632-1694), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist who funded the construction of several churches and schools in London.

Another significant figure was Reverend John GROCE (1657-1723), a clergyman who served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in the city of Oxford and was renowned for his scholarly works on theology and philosophy.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the GROCE surname spread across different regions of England, with family members pursuing various professions, including law, medicine, and academia. One notable figure from this era was William GROCE (1790-1865), a renowned botanist and horticulturist who made significant contributions to the study of plant life in Britain.

Throughout its history, the GROCE surname has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including nobility, clergy, scholars, and professionals. While the name's origins can be traced back to medieval England, its presence has spread across different parts of the world, reflecting the migration patterns of families bearing this surname over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Groce

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

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 Groce was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 69.86% 3,738
Non-Hispanic Black Only 24.74% 1,324
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.17% 9
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.34% 18
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 3.08% 165
Hispanic Origin 1.81% 97

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 Groce has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 69.86% 72.78% -4.09%
Black 24.74% 23.61% 4.67%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.17% 0.26% -41.86%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.34% 0.26% 26.67%
Two or More Races 3.08% 1.71% 57.20%
Hispanic 1.81% 1.38% 26.96%

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

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

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"Groce last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/groce-surname-popularity/.

"Groce last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/groce-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 December, 2024

Groce last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/groce-surname-popularity/.

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