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

Vandergrift, 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 Vandergrift surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vandergrift in America

Vandergrift is the 19398th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vandergrift surname appeared 1,393 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Vandergrift.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vandergrift 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 Vandergrift

The surname Vandergrift has its origins in the Netherlands, dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Dutch words "van der" meaning "from the" and "grift" meaning "canal" or "ditch." This suggests that the name likely originated from a place name referring to someone who lived near a canal or ditch.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Dutch municipality of Grift in the province of Groningen. This area was known for its extensive network of canals and waterways, which were crucial for transportation and trade during that time period.

In the late 16th century, the Vandergrift surname began appearing in historical records and manuscripts across the Netherlands. One notable example is the mention of a Hendrick Vandergrift in the records of the Dutch Reformed Church in the city of Leiden in the year 1582.

As the Dutch colonial empire expanded in the 17th and 18th centuries, individuals bearing the Vandergrift surname migrated to various regions around the world, including North America. One of the earliest known individuals with this surname in North America was Jacob Vandergrift, who was born in the Netherlands in 1685 and later settled in Pennsylvania in the early 1700s.

Another prominent figure with the Vandergrift surname was Jacob Vandergrift Jr., who was born in Pennsylvania in 1739. He served as a Colonel in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and played a significant role in several battles, including the Battle of Brandywine.

In the 19th century, the Vandergrift surname gained further recognition through the accomplishments of Isaac Vandergrift, an American businessman and industrialist who was born in Pennsylvania in 1818. He founded the town of Vandergrift, Pennsylvania, which was named after him and became a notable center for steel production in the late 19th century.

Other notable individuals with the Vandergrift surname include Edith Vandergrift Reeker, an American painter and artist who was born in Illinois in 1884, and William Vandergrift, a Canadian businessman and philanthropist who was born in Ontario in 1860 and made significant contributions to the development of the city of Hamilton.

Throughout its history, the Vandergrift surname has been associated with various professions, including business, military service, and the arts, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of those who bore this name across different regions and time periods.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vandergrift

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

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

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

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