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

Strauss, 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 Strauss surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Strauss in America

Strauss is the 2604th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Strauss surname appeared 13,840 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Strauss.

We can also compare 2010 data for Strauss 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 Strauss

The surname Strauss has its origins in Germany, where it first emerged during the medieval period. The name is derived from the German word 'Strauße', meaning 'ostrich feather' or 'bouquet of feathers', and likely referred to a distinctive feature or occupation associated with the family's earliest known bearers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Strauss surname can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony, which mentions a 'Conradus Struz' in the year 1292. This early spelling variation, 'Struz', further suggests the name's connection to the German word for feather.

As the Strauss family spread throughout various regions of Germany, the name underwent slight spelling variations, such as 'Strauß' and 'Straus'. In the 15th century, records from the city of Nuremberg mention a 'Hans Strauß', who was a prominent merchant and member of the local guild.

The Strauss surname has also been associated with several notable figures throughout history. Johann Strauss Sr. (1804-1849), an Austrian composer and violinist, is considered the founder of the Strauss musical dynasty. His sons, Johann Strauss Jr. (1825-1899) and Josef Strauss (1827-1870), carried on the family's musical legacy and became renowned composers of waltzes and operettas.

Another notable bearer of the Strauss surname was David Friedrich Strauss (1808-1874), a German philosopher and writer who authored the influential work 'The Life of Jesus Critically Examined'. In the field of science, Johann Strauss (1675-1726) was a German botanist and physician who made significant contributions to the study of plant physiology.

The Strauss name has also been prominent in the realm of business and industry. Levi Strauss (1829-1902), a German-American businessman, founded the iconic Levi Strauss & Co. and popularized the use of denim in the production of work pants, now known as blue jeans.

While the Strauss surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with descendants bearing the name in countries such as the United States, Austria, and others. The name's enduring legacy serves as a testament to its rich history and the significant contributions made by its bearers across various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Strauss

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

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

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

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