Grand last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Grand

Derived from the Old French "grand," meaning "tall," "large," or "great," likely referring to a person's stature or importance.

Grand, 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 Grand surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Grand in America

Grand is the 14643rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Grand surname appeared 2,032 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 Grand.

We can also compare 2010 data for Grand 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 14643 12811 13.35%
Count 2,032 2,205 -8.17%
Proportion per 100k 0.69 0.82 -17.22%

The history of the last name Grand

The surname Grand is of French origin and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "grant," which means "large" or "great." Originally, Grand was likely used as a descriptive nickname for someone who was tall or imposing in stature.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Grand can be found in various historical records from the 12th and 13th centuries. In the famous Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several references to individuals with the surname Grand or similar variations, such as Grandi and Grandis.

One notable historical figure who bore the surname Grand was Jacques Grand, a French philosopher and theologian who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries (1558-1634). He was a prominent figure in the Catholic Church and wrote several influential works on theology and philosophy.

Another individual of note was Francois Grand, a French artist and engraver who was active in the early 18th century (1680-1740). He is best known for his etchings and engravings of landscapes and architectural subjects.

In England, one of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Grand was John Grand, who was a landowner and nobleman in the county of Dorset during the 13th century. The Grand family was also associated with the village of Grand Court in Hampshire, which may have derived its name from the family's influence in the area.

The Grand surname can also be found in historical records from other parts of Europe, including Germany and Italy. In Germany, the name was often spelled as Grandt or Grändt, while in Italy, it appeared as Grandi or Grande.

Other notable individuals with the surname Grand include:

  • Pierre Grand (1546-1617), a French Jesuit theologian and writer.
  • Sarah Grand (1854-1943), an Irish novelist and feminist writer.
  • Robert Grand (1914-1996), an American actor and television director.
  • Michel Grand (born 1951), a French politician and member of the European Parliament.

While the surname Grand has been present throughout history, it is important to note that the information provided here is focused on the historical origins and early examples of the name, rather than modern census data or contemporary usage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Grand

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

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 Grand was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 78.84% 1,602
Non-Hispanic Black Only 6.20% 126
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.84% 17
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.39% 8
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.18% 24
Hispanic Origin 12.55% 255

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 Grand has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 78.84% 81.00% -2.70%
Black 6.20% 5.76% 7.36%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.84% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.39% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 1.18% 1.32% -11.20%
Hispanic 12.55% 11.34% 10.13%

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

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

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"Grand last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 10, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/grand-surname-popularity/.

"Grand last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/grand-surname-popularity/. Accessed 10 November, 2024

Grand last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/grand-surname-popularity/.

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