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

Vis, 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 Vis surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vis in America

Vis is the 27556th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vis surname appeared 874 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 Vis.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vis 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 Vis

The surname Vis originated in the Netherlands, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Dutch word "vis," meaning "fish." This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname for someone who worked as a fisherman or in the fishing industry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Vis can be found in the Dutch province of Friesland, where it was documented in the Frisian municipal records of the 16th century. These records often referred to individuals by their occupation or place of residence, lending credence to the theory that Vis was an occupational surname related to fishing.

In the 17th century, the surname Vis appeared in various Dutch records, including church registers and census documents. Some notable individuals bearing this surname during this period include Jan Vis (1600-1667), a Dutch painter known for his still-life works, and Cornelis Vis (1628-1689), a Dutch Golden Age painter specializing in landscapes and seascapes.

As the Dutch explored and settled in various parts of the world, the surname Vis spread beyond the Netherlands. In the 18th century, the name appeared in records from the Dutch East Indies (present-day Indonesia) and the Dutch West Indies (present-day Caribbean islands).

One prominent figure with the surname Vis was Andries Vis (1718-1783), a Dutch colonial administrator who served as the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 1781 to 1783. Another notable individual was Jacob Vis (1760-1824), a Dutch naval officer and explorer who captained several expeditions to the Pacific Ocean and the East Indies.

During the 19th century, the surname Vis continued to be found in Dutch records, as well as in records from other countries with Dutch settlements or colonies. For example, the name appeared in South African records, where individuals with the surname Vis likely descended from Dutch settlers in the Cape Colony.

Among the notable individuals with the surname Vis in the 19th century was Jan Vis (1822-1896), a Dutch painter known for his landscapes and seascapes. Additionally, Pieter Vis (1835-1908) was a Dutch politician and journalist who served as a member of the Dutch Parliament.

As migration patterns shifted in the 20th century, the surname Vis became more widely dispersed across various countries and continents. However, it remains most prevalent in the Netherlands and among individuals of Dutch descent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vis

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

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

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

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