2010
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Vandegriffe
A Dutch surname referring to a person from a location containing griffs (trenches or ditches).
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Vandegriffe. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Vandegriffe surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Vandegriffe in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Vandegriffe, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Vandegriffe
The surname VANDEGRIFFE has its origins in the French language and can be traced back to the region of Normandy in northern France during the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old French words "van de griffe," which translate to "from the claw" or "from the grip." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone with a strong or powerful grasp, perhaps a skilled warrior or artisan.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name VANDEGRIFFE can be found in a medieval French manuscript dating back to the 13th century, where a nobleman named Guilleaume VANDEGRIFFE is mentioned as a participant in a tournament held in Rouen. This indicates that the name was already established among the nobility of the region during that time period.
In the 14th century, there are records of a family bearing the name VANDEGRIFFE residing in the village of Caudebec-lès-Elbeuf, near the city of Rouen. This family is believed to have been involved in the local textile industry, which was a significant economic activity in the region at the time.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name VANDEGRIFFE appears to have spread across various parts of France, as well as to neighboring countries such as Belgium and the Netherlands. One notable individual from this era was Jean VANDEGRIFFE, a French poet and playwright who lived from 1562 to 1628. His works, though not widely known today, were celebrated in literary circles during his lifetime.
In the 18th century, a French military officer named Philippe VANDEGRIFFE (1724-1793) gained recognition for his service during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. He was awarded several honors for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
Another prominent figure with the surname VANDEGRIFFE was Marie-Antoinette VANDEGRIFFE (1789-1857), a renowned French botanist and horticulturist. She is credited with introducing several new plant species to Europe and contributed significantly to the field of botany through her extensive research and writings.
As the name VANDEGRIFFE spread throughout Europe, it also found its way to other parts of the world through migration and exploration. For instance, there are records of a Dutch settler named Hendrick VANDEGRIFFE (1612-1680) establishing a farm in what is now New York state in the mid-17th century.
While the surname VANDEGRIFFE may not be among the most common today, it has a rich historical background rooted in the regions of northern France and the Low Countries. Its unique origin and meaning reflect the diverse cultural influences that have shaped the development of surnames over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Vandegriffe
Among Census respondents with the surname Vandegriffe, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Vandegriffe bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Vandegriffe surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.9% · 104
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 4
- Two or more races3.6% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Vandegriffe
Vandegriffe appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+10 bearers (+9.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 10,478 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | +10 bearers (+9.8%) | Up 10,478 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Vandegriffe surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #158,432 | #147,954 | 6.6% |
| Count | 102 | 112 | 9.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 24.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Vandegriffe bearers went from 102 to 112 (+9.8% change). The surname moved up 10,478 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #147,954.
FAQ
Vandegriffe surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Vandegriffe?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Vandegriffe. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Vandegriffe?
Vandegriffe ranks #147,954 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 112 people with the surname Vandegriffe. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Vandegriffe.
Has Vandegriffe become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Vandegriffe went from 102 recorded bearers to 112. That is an increase of 10 (+9.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Vandegriffe?
Among Census respondents with the surname Vandegriffe, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (3.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Vandegriffe in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.9% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Vandegriffe appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.9%), Hispanic (3.6%), Two or More Races (3.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Vandegriffe (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Vandegriffe mean?
A Dutch surname referring to a person from a location containing griffs (trenches or ditches). The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Vandegriffe (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Vandegriffe?
You can see how many people are called Vandegriffe on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.