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

Gros, 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 Gros surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gros in America

Gros is the 10809th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gros surname appeared 2,947 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 Gros.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gros 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 Gros

The surname "GROS" has its origins in France, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "gros," which means "big" or "fat." This surname was likely given as a nickname to someone who was of a large or robust stature.

The earliest recorded instances of the name "GROS" can be found in medieval French records and manuscripts. One notable example is the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, which mentions several individuals with the surname "GROS" or similar spellings.

In the 12th century, a nobleman named Robert le Gros was a prominent figure in the court of King Henry II of England. He served as the Lord Chancellor of England from 1181 to 1182.

During the 13th century, a French knight named Raoul le Gros participated in the Seventh Crusade led by King Louis IX of France. He is mentioned in various chronicles and accounts of the crusade.

The name "GROS" was also associated with several place names in France, such as Gros-Réderching and Gros-Chastillon. These place names likely originated from individuals with the surname "GROS" who owned or resided in those areas.

In the 15th century, a French poet and playwright named Jean Gros was renowned for his works, including the morality play "La Condamnation de Banquet." He was born around 1415 and is considered one of the earliest known playwrights in French literature.

Another notable figure with the surname "GROS" was Pierre Gros, a French scholar and historian who lived from 1627 to 1679. He wrote extensively on the history of France and was a member of the Académie Française.

As the surname "GROS" spread across Europe, it took on various spellings and variations, such as "Gross" in Germanic regions and "Grosso" in Italy. However, the core meaning and origin remained linked to the French word "gros" and its connotation of largeness or robustness.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gros

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

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

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

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