2000
#47,026
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 425
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.16
Very Rare Last name
Grotz
A Germanic surname denoting someone who lived near a grove or wood.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 468 Americans carry the last name Grotz. That puts it at #54,521 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.14 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 732,381 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Grotz 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
468
1 in 732,381
Census rank
#54,521
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
408
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 408 bearers of the surname Grotz in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.14 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 54521st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Grotz, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Grotz
The surname Grotz is believed to have originated in Germany during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old German word "grot," which means "large" or "great." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone of large stature or impressive physical presence.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Grotz can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the Brandenburg region of Germany, dating back to the 13th century. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Grotz," "Grotz," and "Groz," indicating regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.
During the 14th century, the name Grotz was associated with several notable figures in German history. Johannes Grotz (c. 1320-1385) was a prominent theologian and rector of the University of Heidelberg, known for his scholarly works on canon law and theology. Another individual of note was Heinrich Grotz (c. 1370-1440), a respected merchant and landowner in the city of Nuremberg.
As the name spread across different regions of Germany, it also appeared in various place names. For example, the village of Grotzingen, located in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, is believed to have derived its name from the Grotz family, who may have been among the original settlers of the area.
In the 16th century, the Grotz name gained further prominence with the birth of Johannes Grotz (1504-1564), a renowned German humanist, philosopher, and theologian. He was a leading figure in the Protestant Reformation and a close associate of Martin Luther.
Another notable figure bearing the Grotz name was Hans Grotz (1625-1692), a German painter and engraver known for his intricate still-life paintings and etchings. His works are highly regarded in the art world and can be found in various museums and galleries across Europe.
The Grotz surname continued to be carried by distinguished individuals throughout the centuries. In the 19th century, Friedrich Grotz (1828-1892) was a celebrated German composer and music educator, known for his contributions to the development of choral music.
While the name Grotz has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, its origins can be traced back to the Old German word "grot," reflecting the rich linguistic and cultural heritage of the Germanic regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Grotz
Among Census respondents with the surname Grotz, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Grotz 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 Grotz surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.9% · 375
- Two or more races3.4% · 14
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 11
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.2% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Grotz
Grotz 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
#53,802
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 384
-41 bearers (-9.6%)
Per 100,000 0.13
Rank movement Down 6,776 places
2020
#54,521
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 408
+24 bearers (+6.3%)
Per 100,000 0.14
Rank movement Down 719 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #47,026 | 425 | 0.16 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #53,802 | 384 | 0.13 | -41 bearers (-9.6%) | Down 6,776 places |
| 2020 | #54,521 | 408 | 0.14 | +24 bearers (+6.3%) | Down 719 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 Grotz 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 | #53,802 | #54,521 | -1.3% |
| Count | 384 | 408 | 6.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.13 | 0.14 | 5.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Grotz bearers went from 384 to 408 (+6.3% change). The surname moved down 719 positions in the national ranking, going from #53,802 to #54,521.
FAQ
Grotz surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Grotz?
Name Census estimates that about 468 living Americans carry the surname Grotz. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 732,381 residents.
How common is Grotz?
Grotz ranks #54,521 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.14 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 408 people with the surname Grotz. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (468), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.14 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.14 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 Grotz.
Has Grotz become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Grotz went from 384 recorded bearers to 408. That is an increase of 24 (+6.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #53,802 to #54,521.
What does the Census say about the background of Grotz?
Among Census respondents with the surname Grotz, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.7%). 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 Grotz in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.9% (375 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Grotz appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.9%), Two or More Races (3.4%), Hispanic (2.7%). 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 Grotz (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 Grotz mean?
A Germanic surname denoting someone who lived near a grove or wood. 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 Grotz (0.14 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 Grotz?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.