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

Niess, 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 Niess surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Niess in America

Niess is the 52037th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Niess surname appeared 399 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Niess.

We can also compare 2010 data for Niess 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 Niess

The surname NIESS has its origins in Germany, with records dating back to the early 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "niessen," which means "to sneeze." This unusual connection suggests that the name may have been originally given as a nickname to someone who had a habit of sneezing frequently.

In the early 1500s, the name NIESS appeared in various town records and church registers in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. The spelling variations included Niesz, Niess, and Nieß. One of the earliest documented instances was the birth record of Hans Niess in 1521 in the town of Bamberg, located in modern-day Bavaria.

The NIESS name can also be traced to the town of Niesse, now known as Nysa, located in the Opole Voivodeship of southwestern Poland. It is possible that some individuals bearing this surname may have originated from this region before migrating to other parts of Germany.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, several notable individuals with the surname NIESS left their mark in various fields. Johann Georg Niess (1660-1725) was a German theologian and author, known for his works on biblical exegesis and church history. Another prominent figure was Johann Philipp Niess (1720-1788), a German composer and organist who served at the court of the Prince-Bishop of Würzburg.

In the 19th century, Friedrich Niess (1823-1898) was a German painter and engraver whose works were exhibited in several European cities. Meanwhile, Karl Niess (1857-1934) was a German industrialist and entrepreneur who founded the Niess Machinery Works, a successful manufacturer of agricultural equipment.

One of the most notable individuals with the surname NIESS in the 20th century was Theodor Niess (1893-1970), a German businessman and art collector. His extensive collection of modern and contemporary art, which included works by Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse, was later donated to the city of Nuremberg, forming the basis of the Niess Art Collection.

While the surname NIESS is not among the most common in Germany, it has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields throughout history, from theology and music to art and industry.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Niess

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

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

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

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