2000
#6,113
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,169
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.92
Rare Last name
Grose
Derived from the Old French word "gros," meaning "large," "big," or "great," likely referring to a person's physical stature.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,585 Americans carry the last name Grose. That puts it at #6,666 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.63 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 61,371 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Grose 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Grose with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.6K
1 in 61,371
Census rank
#6,666
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,870 bearers of the surname Grose in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.63 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6666th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Grose, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Black (6.4%) and Two or More Races (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Grose
The surname Grose is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "gros" meaning "great" or "large." It likely originated as a nickname for someone of a large stature or impressive size. The name is first recorded in the 13th century in various regions of Germany, particularly in the southern and central areas.
One of the earliest documented instances of the surname Grose can be found in the Bern Shilling Book, a medieval tax record from the city of Bern, Switzerland, dating back to 1288. The name is recorded as "Grosse," which was a common spelling variation at the time.
In the 14th century, the Grose surname began to appear in other parts of Europe, including England and France. It is mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a census-like record from 1279, where it is spelled as "Grosse." This suggests that the name had spread to England by that time, possibly through German immigrants or travelers.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Grose was Hans Grose, a German merchant and trader who lived in the late 15th century. He is mentioned in various historical documents from the city of Nuremberg, where he conducted business dealings.
In the 16th century, the Grose surname gained prominence in England, particularly in the county of Norfolk. Notable individuals from this era include William Grose (1510-1587), a wealthy landowner and member of the gentry, and his son, Thomas Grose (1548-1621), who served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Castle Rising.
Another significant figure was Francis Grose (1731-1791), an English antiquary and writer known for his works on antiquities and folklore. He is best remembered for his publication "The Antiquities of England and Wales," a comprehensive survey of historical sites and monuments.
In the 19th century, the Grose surname continued to be found across various parts of Europe and in the United States. One notable individual was Benjamin Grose (1809-1875), an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.
Throughout history, the surname Grose has been associated with various professions, including merchants, landowners, politicians, writers, and scholars. While its origins can be traced back to Germany, it has since spread and established itself in numerous regions around the world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Grose
Among Census respondents with the surname Grose, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Black (6.4%) and Two or More Races (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Grose 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 Grose surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.4% · 4,208
- Black or African American6.4% · 314
- Two or more races3.7% · 180
- Hispanic or Latino2.3% · 113
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 29
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 26
Timeline
Historical Census data for Grose
Grose 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
#6,427
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,285
+116 bearers (+2.2%)
Per 100,000 1.79
Rank movement Down 314 places
2020
#6,666
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,870
-415 bearers (-7.9%)
Per 100,000 1.63
Rank movement Down 239 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,113 | 5,169 | 1.92 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,427 | 5,285 | 1.79 | +116 bearers (+2.2%) | Down 314 places |
| 2020 | #6,666 | 4,870 | 1.63 | -415 bearers (-7.9%) | Down 239 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 Grose 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 | #6,427 | #6,666 | -3.7% |
| Count | 5,285 | 4,870 | -7.9% |
| Per 100K | 1.79 | 1.63 | -9.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Grose bearers went from 5,285 to 4,870 (-7.9% change). The surname moved down 239 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,427 to #6,666.
FAQ
Grose surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Grose?
Name Census estimates that about 5,585 living Americans carry the surname Grose. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 61,371 residents.
How common is Grose?
Grose ranks #6,666 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.63 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,870 people with the surname Grose. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,585), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.63 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.63 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Grose.
Has Grose become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Grose went from 5,285 recorded bearers to 4,870. That is a decrease of 415 (-7.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #6,427 to #6,666.
What does the Census say about the background of Grose?
Among Census respondents with the surname Grose, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Black (6.4%) and Two or More Races (3.7%). 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 Grose in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.4% (4,208 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Grose appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.4%), Black (6.4%), Two or More Races (3.7%). 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 Grose (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 Grose mean?
Derived from the Old French word "gros," meaning "large," "big," or "great," likely referring to a person's physical stature. 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 Grose (1.63 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 many people have the surname Grose?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.