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

Roos, 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 Roos surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Roos in America

Roos is the 6690th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Roos surname appeared 5,051 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 Roos.

We can also compare 2010 data for Roos 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 Roos

The surname ROOS is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English word 'hros' meaning horse. It is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the counties of Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire, as early as the 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the ROOS surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'de Ros'. This entry refers to a Norman family who held lands in Yorkshire after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

During the Middle Ages, the spelling of the name varied, with alternate forms such as Ros, Roose, and Rouse being used. These variations likely stemmed from the different dialects and pronunciations across regions.

The ROOS surname is associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the most prominent figures was Robert de Ros (c. 1223-1285), an English nobleman who served as Lord Chancellor of England from 1264 to 1268 and played a significant role in the Barons' War against King Henry III.

Another prominent bearer of the ROOS name was William de Ros (c. 1370-1414), a medieval English knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War and was present at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.

In the 16th century, Sir John Roos (c. 1527-1592) was a notable English lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench from 1573 to 1592.

The ROOS surname also has connections to various place names. For instance, the village of Ros in Northumberland, England, is believed to have derived its name from the ROOS family who held lands in the area during the Middle Ages.

Another notable bearer of the ROOS name was the Dutch painter Philip Roos (1655-1705), who was known for his paintings of animals and landscapes.

While the ROOS surname originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and immigration. However, its roots can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon period in England, where it was initially associated with the equestrian class or those involved with horses.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Roos

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

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

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

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