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

Vess, 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 Vess surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vess in America

Vess is the 13397th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vess surname appeared 2,274 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 Vess.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vess 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 Vess

The surname VESS is believed to have originated in Hungary, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is thought to be a derivation of the Hungarian word "vész," which translates to "danger" or "peril." This surname may have been initially assigned to individuals who lived in or near hazardous areas or who dealt with occupations that involved a certain level of risk.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the VESS surname can be found in the Regestrum Varadiense, a collection of medieval legal records from the Bishopric of Várad (present-day Oradea, Romania). This document, dating back to the 13th century, contains entries related to legal disputes and transactions involving individuals bearing the VESS name.

During the 15th century, the VESS surname appeared in various Hungarian historical records, such as land registries and census documents. For instance, a certain Péter VESS was documented as a landowner in the village of Kőrösladány in 1487.

The VESS surname has also been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One such individual was János VESS (1536-1589), a Hungarian Protestant minister and writer who played a significant role in the Reformation movement in Hungary. Another notable bearer of the VESS name was Pál VESS (1789-1857), a Hungarian composer and violinist who made contributions to the development of Hungarian folk music.

In the 19th century, the VESS surname gained prominence with the birth of Ármin VESS (1858-1922), a Hungarian painter and graphic artist known for his landscapes and illustrations. His works are housed in several museums and galleries across Hungary and Europe.

Another individual of note was Gábor VESS (1910-1968), a Hungarian-American actor and filmmaker who appeared in numerous Hollywood productions during the mid-20th century. He is best remembered for his roles in films such as "Casablanca" (1942) and "The Maltese Falcon" (1941).

While the VESS surname has its origins in Hungary, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and intermarriage. However, its historical roots and connections to Hungarian culture and language remain strong.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vess

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

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

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

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