Find out how popular the last name Krauss is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Krauss.

Krauss, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Krauss surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Krauss in America

Krauss is the 5097th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Krauss surname appeared 6,865 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Krauss.

We can also compare 2010 data for Krauss to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Krauss

The surname Krauss has its origins in Germany, where it first emerged in the 12th century. The name is derived from the German word "kraus," which means "curly" or "crisp," likely referring to a person's physical appearance or hair texture. It was not uncommon for surnames to originate from descriptive nicknames in medieval times.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Krauss can be found in various German records and chronicles from the 13th century. One notable example is the mention of a knight named Heinrich Krauss in the Annals of Strasbourg, dating back to 1265. This suggests that the name had already gained some prominence among the nobility during that era.

In the 14th century, the Krauss surname appeared in several medieval manuscripts, including the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, which contained legal documents and charters from the region of Saxony. This indicates that the name had spread across different parts of Germany.

As the name gained popularity, variations in spelling began to emerge, such as Kraus, Krauss, and Krausse. These differences were often due to regional dialects or scribal errors in record-keeping.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Krauss surname was Johann Krauss (1553-1613), a German theologian and author from Saxony. He was renowned for his works on biblical exegesis and his contributions to the field of Protestant theology.

Another notable figure was Samuel Krauss (1866-1948), an Austro-Hungarian rabbi, and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of Jewish folklore and literature. His extensive research on Jewish traditions and culture influenced numerous academics in the field.

During the 19th century, the Krauss surname gained further prominence with the rise of several influential figures. One such individual was Ferdinand Krauss (1779-1857), a German composer and music theorist who served as the Kapellmeister (music director) at the court of Württemberg.

Additionally, Karl Friedrich Philipp von Krauss (1796-1846) was a German botanist and explorer who conducted extensive research on the flora of southern Africa. His expeditions and discoveries led to the naming of several plant species in his honor.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that the Krauss surname has also been associated with the German-American brewing industry. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, several prominent breweries in the United States were founded or operated by individuals with the Krauss name, including the Christian Krauss Brewing Company in Philadelphia and the Krauss Brewing Company in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Krauss

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Krauss.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Krauss was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Krauss has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Krauss was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Krauss, please contact us.

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