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

Kruss, 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 Kruss surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Kruss in America

Kruss is the 128797th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kruss surname appeared 122 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Kruss.

The history of the last name Kruss

The surname Kruss has its origins in the German-speaking regions of Europe, likely emerging in the medieval period. The name can be traced back to around the 12th or 13th century. It is most commonly associated with regions such as Prussia, which is now part of modern-day Germany and Poland. Variants of the name include Kruez, Kruse, and Kraus, suggesting a linguistic evolution over time.

The surname Kruss is derived from the Middle High German word "krûs," which means "curly" or "crisp." This likely referred to someone with curly hair, serving as a descriptive nickname. The practice of using physical characteristics to form surnames was common in medieval Europe. Medieval documents from the Holy Roman Empire occasionally reference individuals with similar names, although exact records can be sparse and hard to decipher.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in a 14th-century document from the Hanseatic League, a commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Northwestern and Central Europe. The name shows up in trade records, which suggests that bearers of the name Kruss might have been involved in mercantile activities.

In the 15th century, a notable individual with the surname Kruss was Heinrich Kruss, born in 1423 and known for his work as a master craftsman in Hamburg. His contributions to the construction of several significant buildings in the city cemented his legacy in regional history. Another early luminary was Karl Kruss, a scholar from the University of Heidelberg in the late 16th century, who made significant contributions to early scientific literature.

As the name spread, another prominent family bearing the name lived in Königsberg, now Kaliningrad, Russia. Erich Kruss, born in 1654, was a noted mathematician and astronomer who published numerous works on celestial navigation and played a key role in the academic community of his time.

In the 18th century, the name continued to appear in prominent circles. Johann Friedrich Kruss (1719-1790) was a well-known composer and musician in Saxony. He produced various musical works that were popular in German courts, including a series of symphonies and chamber music pieces that are still studied today by music historians.

The 19th century saw more individuals with the surname gaining recognition. For example, Otto Kruss (1824-1885) was a renowned botanist who contributed to the classification of various plant species in Central Europe. His work laid the groundwork for modern botanical nomenclature and taxonomy in the region.

Overall, the surname Kruss carries a rich heritage, linked to descriptive physical characteristics and borne by individuals who made noteworthy contributions in various fields including craftsmanship, academia, music, and science across centuries. The name continues to embody a legacy that is both historically significant and culturally enriching.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kruss

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

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Kruss 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.

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 Kruss was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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