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

Probst, 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 Probst surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Probst in America

Probst is the 5540th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Probst surname appeared 6,271 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 Probst.

We can also compare 2010 data for Probst 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 Probst

The surname Probst originated in Germany and has its roots in the Middle Ages. It is derived from the German word "probst," which means "provost" or "parish priest." This suggests that the name was likely associated with individuals who held ecclesiastical positions within the church hierarchy during that time period.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Probst can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Germany, particularly in areas such as Bavaria and Saxony. It is believed that the name may have originated from a place name that included the word "probst," indicating that the name-bearer or their ancestors resided in or near a locality with a connection to a provost or church official.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name Probst was Johann Probst, a German theologian and reformer who lived from 1460 to 1521. He was a prominent figure during the Protestant Reformation and was known for his opposition to the Catholic Church's sale of indulgences.

Another notable individual with the surname Probst was Georg Balthasar Probst (1673-1748), a German architect and sculptor who is renowned for his work on the Würzburg Residence, a famous Baroque palace in Germany.

In the 19th century, Joseph Probst (1837-1905) was a German Catholic priest and writer who authored several works on theology and church history. He served as a professor at the University of Tübingen and made significant contributions to the study of canon law.

Moving into the 20th century, Max Probst (1924-2009) was a Swiss chemist who played a crucial role in the development of the birth control pill. His research on synthetic hormones and their effects on fertility led to the creation of one of the first oral contraceptive pills.

Finally, Janice Probst (1950-present) is an American author and academic who has written extensively on rural health and nursing. She has published numerous books and articles on topics such as health disparities in rural areas and the challenges faced by rural healthcare providers.

While the surname Probst is most commonly associated with Germany, it has spread to other regions over time due to migration and diaspora. Today, individuals bearing this surname can be found in various parts of Europe, North America, and other parts of the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Probst

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

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

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

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