Grossman
An occupational surname referring to a wholesale merchant or someone who works with large quantities of goods.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 20,325 Americans carry the last name Grossman. That puts it at #2,067 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 5.93 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 16,864 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Grossman surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
20K
1 in 16,864
Census rank
#2,067
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
5.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
17K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 17,484 bearers of the surname Grossman in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 5.93 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2067th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Grossman, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.1%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Grossman
The surname Grossman is of German origin and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the German word "gross," which means "large" or "great," and "mann," meaning "man." The name likely referred to a person of large stature or someone with an imposing presence.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Grossman can be found in various German historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries. Some of the earliest examples include mentions in the Liber Census Saxoniae, a tax record of Saxony from the late 13th century, and the Codex Diplomatus Brandenburgensis, a collection of documents related to the history of Brandenburg from the 14th century.
One notable historical figure bearing the name Grossman was Johannes Grossman, a German theologian and reformer who lived in the 15th century (c. 1420-1489). He was a proponent of the Hussite movement and played a role in the religious conflicts of his time.
Another prominent individual was Wilhelm Grossman (1676-1749), a German architect and builder who was responsible for the construction of several notable buildings in Dresden, including the Zwinger Palace and the Frauenkirche.
In the 19th century, Carl Friedrich Grossman (1786-1853) was a German economist and statistician who made significant contributions to the development of statistical methods and their application to economic analysis.
The name Grossman also has a presence in literature, with the German writer David Grossman (1954-) being one of the most prominent contemporary figures. He is known for his novels and essays exploring themes of Israeli society and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In the realm of science, the name Grossman is associated with Robert Grossman (1922-1997), an American physicist and mathematician who made important contributions to the fields of general relativity and gravitational radiation.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals with the surname Grossman throughout history, spanning various fields and time periods. The name's origins and its prevalence in German-speaking regions have contributed to its enduring presence and significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Grossman
Among Census respondents with the surname Grossman, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.1%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Grossman bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Grossman surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.4%
- Hispanic or Latino2.1%
- Two or more races1.2%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7%
- Black or African American0.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Grossman surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,067 | #2,067 | 0.0% |
| Count | 17,484 | 17,484 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 5.93 | 5.93 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Grossman bearers went from 17,484 to 17,484 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #2,067 to #2,067.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Grossman
FAQ
Grossman surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Grossman?
The surname Grossman holds position #2,067 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 20,325 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 5.93 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Grossman surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Grossman, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.1%) and Two or More Races (1.2%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.