2000
#2,155
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 15,453
First available Census row
Per 100,000 5.73
Uncommon Last name
Grubbs
An English occupational surname referring to someone who catches and sells grubs or works as a miner.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 17,029 Americans carry the last name Grubbs. That puts it at #2,396 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.97 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 20,128 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Grubbs 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
17K
1 in 20,128
Census rank
#2,396
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
5.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
15K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 14,850 bearers of the surname Grubbs in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.97 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2396th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Grubbs, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.2%. The next largest groups are Black (10.6%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Grubbs
The surname Grubbs is an English occupational name that originated in the 14th century. It is derived from the Middle English word "grubben," meaning "to dig or delve," suggesting that the original bearers of this name were likely involved in agricultural or horticultural work, such as digging or cultivating the land.
The earliest recorded instance of the surname Grubbs dates back to 1327 in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, where it was spelled "Grubb." This early spelling variation highlights the flexibility of surnames during that time period, as standardized spellings were not yet established.
In the 15th century, the name appeared in various records, including the Pipe Rolls of Somerset in 1473, where it was listed as "Grubbes." This suggests that the surname had spread to different regions of England by that time.
One notable historical figure bearing the surname Grubbs was John Grubbs (1690-1769), an English Quaker who emigrated to America in the early 18th century. He settled in Pennsylvania and became a prominent landowner and member of the provincial assembly.
Another significant individual was Sarah Grubbs (1753-1847), a Quaker minister and abolitionist from Pennsylvania. She was known for her passionate advocacy against slavery and her efforts in supporting the Underground Railroad.
In the 19th century, the surname Grubbs was also found in parts of Ireland, likely due to English migration and settlement. One example is William Grubbs (1815-1891), an Irish architect who designed several notable buildings in Belfast.
Moving forward to the 20th century, Arthur Grubbs (1900-1988) was an American chemist who made significant contributions to the field of organic chemistry. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1963 for his work on catalytic olefin metathesis reactions.
Another notable figure was Stephanie Grubbs (1926-2018), an American artist known for her abstract expressionist paintings and her involvement in the New York art scene during the 1950s and 1960s.
While the surname Grubbs has its origins in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including North America, Ireland, and beyond, carried by individuals and families who have contributed to diverse fields and endeavors throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Grubbs
Among Census respondents with the surname Grubbs, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.2%. The next largest groups are Black (10.6%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Grubbs 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 Grubbs surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.2% · 12,055
- Black or African American10.6% · 1,568
- Two or more races3.9% · 579
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 431
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 121
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 96
Timeline
Historical Census data for Grubbs
Grubbs 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
#2,316
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 15,773
+320 bearers (+2.1%)
Per 100,000 5.35
Rank movement Down 161 places
2020
#2,396
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 14,850
-923 bearers (-5.9%)
Per 100,000 4.97
Rank movement Down 80 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,155 | 15,453 | 5.73 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,316 | 15,773 | 5.35 | +320 bearers (+2.1%) | Down 161 places |
| 2020 | #2,396 | 14,850 | 4.97 | -923 bearers (-5.9%) | Down 80 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 Grubbs 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 | #2,316 | #2,396 | -3.5% |
| Count | 15,773 | 14,850 | -5.9% |
| Per 100K | 5.35 | 4.97 | -7.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Grubbs bearers went from 15,773 to 14,850 (-5.9% change). The surname moved down 80 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,316 to #2,396.
FAQ
Grubbs surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Grubbs?
Name Census estimates that about 17,029 living Americans carry the surname Grubbs. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 20,128 residents.
How common is Grubbs?
Grubbs ranks #2,396 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.97 per 100,000 residents, which is about 5 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 14,850 people with the surname Grubbs. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (17,029), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.97 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.97 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 5 of them to have the surname Grubbs.
Has Grubbs become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Grubbs went from 15,773 recorded bearers to 14,850. That is a decrease of 923 (-5.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,316 to #2,396.
What does the Census say about the background of Grubbs?
Among Census respondents with the surname Grubbs, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.2%. The next largest groups are Black (10.6%) and Two or More Races (3.9%). 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 Grubbs in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.2% (12,055 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Grubbs appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.2%), Black (10.6%), Two or More Races (3.9%). 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 Grubbs (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 Grubbs mean?
An English occupational surname referring to someone who catches and sells grubs or works as a miner. 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 Grubbs (4.97 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 Grubbs?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Grubbs on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.