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

Liss, 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 Liss surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Liss in America

Liss is the 9368th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Liss surname appeared 3,472 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Liss.

We can also compare 2010 data for Liss 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 Liss

The surname Liss is believed to have originated in Germany, with its earliest known recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old German word "liss," meaning a lime or linden tree. This suggests that the name was initially used to identify individuals who lived near or owned land where linden trees grew.

One of the earliest known references to the Liss surname can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of medieval documents from the Margraviate of Brandenburg. This record, dated 1275, mentions a certain "Henricus de Lisse," indicating the presence of the Liss family in the region during that time.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as "Lisse," "Lysse," and "Lys," reflecting regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. These variations were common during the Middle Ages, as standardized spelling was not yet established.

The Liss surname gained prominence in the 16th century, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One such figure was Johann Liss (1597-1631), a German painter and etcher who was born in Oldenburg and became known for his religious and mythological works.

Another prominent figure was David Liss (1570-1629), a German composer and organist who served as the Kapellmeister (music director) at the court of the Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg in Wolfenbüttel.

In the 17th century, the Liss surname spread beyond Germany, with records showing its presence in other parts of Europe. For example, in England, there is mention of a Thomas Liss (1624-1685), a portrait painter who worked for the court of King Charles II.

The 18th century saw the emergence of the Liss surname in North America, with many German immigrants bearing the name settling in various regions, including Pennsylvania and New York.

One notable American with the Liss surname was Samuel Liss (1742-1816), a soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War and later served as a member of the Massachusetts state legislature.

As the centuries progressed, the Liss surname continued to be carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, musicians, scholars, and professionals. Some other notable individuals with the Liss surname include:

1. Alfred Liss (1894-1961), an American literary critic and professor at the University of California, Berkeley.
2. Reinhard Liss (1957-present), a German writer and philosopher known for his works on existentialism and phenomenology.
3. Emily Liss (1876-1954), an American suffragist and activist who campaigned for women's rights and social justice.
4. Hans Liss (1919-2003), a German-born American physicist who made significant contributions to the field of nuclear physics.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Liss

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

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

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

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