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

Neese, 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 Neese surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Neese in America

Neese is the 6379th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Neese surname appeared 5,335 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 Neese.

We can also compare 2010 data for Neese 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 Neese

The surname "Neese" is believed to have originated in Germany, specifically in the regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old High German word "nessa," which means "moisture" or "wetland." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a marshy or damp area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in a 14th-century document from the town of Neckarsulm, in what is now the state of Baden-Württemberg. The document mentions a certain "Hans Nesse," which is likely an earlier spelling variation of the name.

Another early reference to the name can be found in the Bregenz Municipal Archives, located in the Austrian state of Vorarlberg. A document from the late 15th century mentions a "Peter Neess," indicating that the name had spread to other parts of the German-speaking regions by that time.

In the 16th century, the name appears to have made its way to other parts of Europe, including the Netherlands and England. One notable individual bearing this surname was Jan Neese, a Dutch painter who lived from 1568 to 1628 and was known for his depictions of still lifes and floral arrangements.

In England, the earliest recorded instance of the name seems to be that of a certain William Neese, who was born in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon in 1612. Interestingly, this coincides with the lifetime of William Shakespeare, who was born in the same town just a few years earlier.

As the name spread across Europe and eventually to other parts of the world, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Neess, Nees, Ness, and Niess. Some notable individuals with this surname include:

1. Johann Neese (1770-1845), a German mathematician and astronomer.
2. Friedrich Neese (1784-1867), a German philologist and classical scholar.
3. Johann Neese (1801-1876), a German composer and organist.
4. Carl Neese (1865-1940), a German painter and illustrator.
5. Wilhelm Neese (1880-1965), a German architect and urban planner.

While the surname "Neese" may not be as common as some others, it has a rich history that can be traced back to its origins in medieval Germany. The name's connection to the natural environment and its various spelling variations across different regions and time periods make it a fascinating subject for onomastic study.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Neese

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

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

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

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