2000
#142,819
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Groninga
A habitational surname indicating a person or family originally from the Dutch city of Groningen.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 117 Americans carry the last name Groninga. That puts it at #154,755 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,929,524 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Groninga surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
117
1 in 2,929,524
Census rank
#154,755
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
102
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 102 bearers of the surname Groninga in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154755th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Groninga, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.2%. The next largest groups are Black (3.9%) and Hispanic (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Groninga
The surname GRONINGA traces its origins back to the Netherlands, specifically the province of Groningen. This region was historically known as Grunninga, derived from the Old Frisian word "grune" meaning green, referring to the lush, fertile landscape. The name evolved over time, with variations such as Groninga, Groningen, and Groninghe appearing in ancient records.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname GRONINGA can be found in the Frotho-keuren, a legal code from the 13th century, where it is mentioned as a prominent family name in the region. The name also appears in various medieval manuscripts and charters, indicating its long-standing presence in the area.
In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the name was Egbert GRONINGA, a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Groningen. His legacy is documented in the city's archives and historical records from that period.
During the 16th century, the GRONINGA family played a significant role in the Dutch Revolt against Spanish rule. Jan GRONINGA (1520-1587) was a respected military leader and strategist who fought alongside William of Orange in the struggle for Dutch independence.
Another noteworthy individual was Petrus GRONINGA (1625-1698), a renowned theologian and scholar who served as a professor at the University of Groningen. His contributions to religious studies and philosophy were widely recognized during his lifetime.
In the 18th century, the name GRONINGA gained further prominence with Hendrik GRONINGA (1745-1812), a celebrated painter and artist who was renowned for his landscapes and portraits. His works can be found in various museums and private collections throughout the Netherlands.
The surname GRONINGA has also been associated with various place names in the region, such as Groningerland, Groningerwold, and Groningerveenpolder, reflecting the family's deep roots and influence in the area.
While the surname GRONINGA is most commonly found in the Netherlands, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities over the centuries, carrying with it a rich history and connection to the province of Groningen.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Groninga
Among Census respondents with the surname Groninga, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.2%. The next largest groups are Black (3.9%) and Hispanic (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Groninga bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Groninga surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.2% · 93
- Black or African American3.9% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Groninga
Groninga appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,809 places
2020
#154,755
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-5 bearers (-4.7%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 2,127 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #142,819 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 9,809 places |
| 2020 | #154,755 | 102 | 0.03 | -5 bearers (-4.7%) | Down 2,127 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Groninga surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #152,628 | #154,755 | -1.4% |
| Count | 107 | 102 | -4.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -14.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Groninga bearers went from 107 to 102 (-4.7% change). The surname moved down 2,127 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #154,755.
FAQ
Groninga surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Groninga?
Name Census estimates that about 117 living Americans carry the surname Groninga. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,929,524 residents.
How common is Groninga?
Groninga ranks #154,755 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 102 people with the surname Groninga. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (117), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Groninga.
Has Groninga become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Groninga went from 107 recorded bearers to 102. That is a decrease of 5 (-4.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #152,628 to #154,755.
What does the Census say about the background of Groninga?
Among Census respondents with the surname Groninga, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.2%. The next largest groups are Black (3.9%) and Hispanic (2.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Groninga in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.2% (93 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Groninga appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.2%), Black (3.9%), Hispanic (2.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Groninga (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Groninga mean?
A habitational surname indicating a person or family originally from the Dutch city of Groningen. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Groninga (0.03 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Groninga?
See how many people have the last name Groninga on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.