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

Voss, 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 Voss surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Voss in America

Voss is the 1719th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Voss surname appeared 20,911 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Voss.

We can also compare 2010 data for Voss 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 Voss

The surname Voss originated in Germany and is believed to date back to the 12th century. It is derived from the German word "vos," which means "fox." The name was likely initially used as a nickname for someone who was considered cunning or sly, like a fox.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Voss surname can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of medieval charters and documents from the region of Saxony, Germany. In a document dated 1221, a man named "Heinricus Vos" is mentioned, indicating that the name was in use during that time period.

The Voss surname can also be traced back to various place names in Germany, such as the town of Voss in Lower Saxony. It is possible that some individuals adopted the surname based on their place of origin or residence.

In the 15th century, a notable figure named Johann Voss (1437-1505) was a German theologian and humanist scholar. He is known for his contributions to the study of classical literature and his translations of Greek and Latin texts.

Another prominent individual with the Voss surname was Johann Heinrich Voss (1751-1826), a German poet, and translator. He is best known for his translation of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey into German hexameter verse, which was highly acclaimed and influential in its time.

In the 18th century, Isaac Voss (1718-1789) was a Dutch philologist and classical scholar. He is remembered for his critical editions of various Greek and Latin texts, including works by Virgil, Horace, and Cicero.

Gerrit Voss (1638-1699) was a Dutch Golden Age painter known for his still-life paintings, particularly those depicting vanitas themes and symbolic representations of the transience of life.

Johann Heinrich Voss (1751-1826), mentioned earlier, had a son named Abraham Voss (1784-1847), who was also a German poet and playwright. He is best remembered for his comedies and satirical works, which often criticized social and political issues of the time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Voss

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

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

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

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