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

Vorhees, 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 Vorhees surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vorhees in America

Vorhees is the 31033rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vorhees surname appeared 748 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 Vorhees.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vorhees 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 Vorhees

The surname VORHEES is of Dutch origin, derived from the Dutch words "voor" meaning "before" and "hees" meaning "heathland" or "moor." It likely originated in the Netherlands during the medieval period, referring to individuals who lived near or owned land located in front of heathlands or moorlands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name VORHEES can be found in the Dutch archives of the 16th century, where it appears in various spellings such as "Voorhees," "Voorhies," and "Voorhis." The name was brought to America by Dutch settlers in the 17th century, particularly those who settled in the New Netherland colony, which encompassed parts of present-day New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

In the United States, the name VORHEES is closely associated with the state of New Jersey, where many early Dutch settlers established themselves. One notable figure from this area was Albert Voorhees, a wealthy landowner and merchant born in 1751 in Somerset County, New Jersey. He played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War, serving as a Colonel in the New Jersey militia.

Another prominent individual with the surname VORHEES was Daniel W. Voorhees, a lawyer and politician from Indiana who served as a United States Senator from 1877 to 1897. He was born in 1827 and played a crucial role in the Democratic Party during the late 19th century.

In the literary world, the name VORHEES is associated with the American author Theodore Voorhies, who was born in 1904 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He gained recognition for his novels and short stories set in the American South, depicting the lives of working-class individuals and their struggles.

A historical figure bearing the surname VORHEES was Elias P. Voorhees, a prominent businessman and philanthropist from New Jersey. Born in 1805, he amassed a considerable fortune through his various business ventures and became known for his philanthropic efforts, contributing significantly to educational institutions and charitable organizations in his home state.

It is worth noting that the surname VORHEES has also been associated with several place names in the United States, particularly in New Jersey, where towns such as Voorhees Township and Voorhees Corner bear the name, reflecting the historical presence and influence of the Dutch settlers in the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vorhees

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

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

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

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