2000
#43,708
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 465
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.17
Very Rare Last name
Kiess
Of Germanic origin, likely derived from a root meaning a pine forest or forest dweller.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 510 Americans carry the last name Kiess. That puts it at #50,714 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.15 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 672,067 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kiess 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
510
1 in 672,067
Census rank
#50,714
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
445
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 445 bearers of the surname Kiess in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.15 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 50714th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kiess, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Two or More Races (1.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kiess
The surname "KIESS" is of German origin, with roots dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the German word "Kieser," which referred to someone who worked as a stonemason or quarryman. This occupation was particularly prevalent in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony, where the surname first appeared in written records.
One of the earliest known references to the name "KIESS" can be found in the historical documents of the city of Nuremberg, in which a stonemason named Hans Kiess was mentioned in the year 1567. This record provides valuable insight into the occupational origins of the surname and its association with the skilled trade of stonework.
In the 17th century, the surname "KIESS" began to spread across various regions of Germany, with notable individuals bearing the name. One such figure was Johann Kiess, a prominent merchant and landowner who lived in the city of Augsburg between 1620 and 1687. His wealth and influence contributed to the recognition of the surname within the local community.
As the centuries progressed, the name "KIESS" became more widely dispersed throughout Germany and beyond. In the 18th century, a notable figure named Wilhelm Kiess (1732-1805) gained recognition as a renowned philosopher and writer, publishing several influential works on ethics and moral philosophy.
Another individual of note was Friedrich Kiess (1786-1862), a German composer and musician who made significant contributions to the development of Romantic-era music. His compositions for chamber ensembles and orchestras were highly regarded during his lifetime and continue to be celebrated by classical music enthusiasts.
In the 19th century, the surname "KIESS" gained further prominence with the birth of Karl Kiess (1819-1893), a respected linguist and philologist who specialized in the study of ancient Germanic languages. His scholarly works on the origins and evolution of various Germanic dialects are still referenced by modern linguists and historians.
Throughout its history, the surname "KIESS" has been associated with various occupations, from skilled artisans and tradesmen to intellectuals and artists. While the name may have evolved in its spelling and pronunciation over time, its roots can be traced back to the stonemasons and quarrymen of medieval Germany, whose craftsmanship and skills left a lasting legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kiess
Among Census respondents with the surname Kiess, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Two or More Races (1.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Kiess 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 Kiess surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.6% · 421
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 17
- Two or more races1.1% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kiess
Kiess 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
#55,619
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 369
-96 bearers (-20.6%)
Per 100,000 0.13
Rank movement Down 11,911 places
2020
#50,714
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 445
+76 bearers (+20.6%)
Per 100,000 0.15
Rank movement Up 4,905 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #43,708 | 465 | 0.17 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #55,619 | 369 | 0.13 | -96 bearers (-20.6%) | Down 11,911 places |
| 2020 | #50,714 | 445 | 0.15 | +76 bearers (+20.6%) | Up 4,905 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 Kiess 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 | #55,619 | #50,714 | 8.8% |
| Count | 369 | 445 | 20.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.13 | 0.15 | 14.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kiess bearers went from 369 to 445 (+20.6% change). The surname moved up 4,905 positions in the national ranking, going from #55,619 to #50,714.
FAQ
Kiess surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kiess?
Name Census estimates that about 510 living Americans carry the surname Kiess. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 672,067 residents.
How common is Kiess?
Kiess ranks #50,714 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.15 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 445 people with the surname Kiess. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (510), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.15 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.15 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 Kiess.
Has Kiess become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kiess went from 369 recorded bearers to 445. That is an increase of 76 (+20.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #55,619 to #50,714.
What does the Census say about the background of Kiess?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kiess, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Two or More Races (1.1%). 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 Kiess in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.6% (421 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kiess appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.6%), Hispanic (3.8%), Two or More Races (1.1%). 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 Kiess (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 Kiess mean?
Of Germanic origin, likely derived from a root meaning a pine forest or forest dweller. 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 Kiess (0.15 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 last name Kiess?
If you just want to know how many people have the surname Kiess, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.