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

Theiss, 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 Theiss surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Theiss in America

Theiss is the 11940th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Theiss surname appeared 2,619 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 Theiss.

We can also compare 2010 data for Theiss 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 Theiss

The surname Theiss has its origins in Germany and Austria, where it emerged in the 13th century. It is derived from the German word "Teich," which means "pond" or "pool." This suggests that the name was likely given to someone who lived near a body of water or worked in a profession related to ponds or pools.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Theiss can be found in various medieval documents and records from Germany and Austria. For example, the name appears in the Biberacher Bürgerbuch, a 14th-century registry of citizens in the town of Biberach an der Riss, located in present-day Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

In the 15th century, the name Theiss was also found in the Nuremberg Hussitenkriege, a historical account of the Hussite Wars that occurred between 1419 and 1434. This suggests that individuals with the surname Theiss may have been involved in these conflicts or lived in the areas affected by them.

One notable figure with the surname Theiss was Johann Theiss, a German painter and engraver born in Nuremberg in 1645. He is known for his religious and allegorical works, as well as his engravings depicting scenes from the Bible and Greek mythology.

Another notable individual was Johann Theiss (1669-1719), a German composer and organist who served as the court organist in Sondershausen, Thuringia. His compositions include various organ works, as well as pieces for other instruments.

In the 19th century, the name Theiss was also found in Austria. For instance, Johann Theiss (1801-1867) was an Austrian painter and lithographer from Vienna, known for his landscapes and cityscapes depicting various regions of Austria.

The surname Theiss has also been associated with certain place names, particularly in Germany. For example, the village of Theisshausen in Bavaria was likely named after individuals with the surname Theiss who originally settled in the area.

Over time, the spelling of the surname has undergone some variations, such as Theis, Theiss, Theisz, and Teiss. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remain rooted in the German word "Teich" and its connection to bodies of water or related professions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Theiss

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

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

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

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