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

Rossow, 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 Rossow surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rossow in America

Rossow is the 18184th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rossow surname appeared 1,530 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 Rossow.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rossow 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 Rossow

The surname Rossow originated in Germany and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "Ross," which means "horse," and the suffix "-ow," indicating a place name. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in an area associated with horses or horse breeding.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rossow can be found in the Pomeranian town of Rossow, which is located in modern-day Poland. This place name likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname. The town's name is thought to have originated from the Slavic word "rossoch," meaning "fork" or "intersection," potentially referring to the convergence of two rivers or roads in the area.

In the 16th century, the name Rossow appeared in the Prussian tax records, indicating that families bearing this surname were present in the region during that time period. Some notable individuals with the Rossow surname include:

1. Johann Rossow (1609-1668), a German theologian and professor of theology at the University of Rostock.
2. Friedrich Rossow (1857-1915), a German architect known for his work on various public buildings in Berlin.
3. Peter Rossow (1918-2004), a German politician and member of the Christian Democratic Union party.
4. Wilhelm Rossow (1865-1943), a German military officer who served in World War I and received the Pour le Mérite, a prestigious military order.
5. Helmuth Rossow (1892-1967), a German naval officer and submarine commander during World War I.

The name Rossow has also been found in various historical documents and records throughout Germany and neighboring regions, further attesting to its longstanding presence in the area.

While the surname Rossow is predominantly associated with German origins, it has also been adopted by families in other countries, potentially through migration or intermarriage. However, the core of its historical significance lies in its roots in the German-speaking regions of Europe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rossow

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

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

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

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